MRI-guided stereotaxic brain surgery in the infant and adult common marmoset

Abstract

In the past decade, the New World common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) has taken a seminal position in neurobiological research, fueled in part by its smooth cortical sheet, which allows cortical areas to be easily accessed by current technologies on the dorsal surface of the brain. In this protocol, we describe a method for the precision placement of agents (e.g., tracers or neurotoxins) into small brain regions of the infant and adult marmoset, using an MRI-guided approach. This strategy uses a protocol for prolonged anesthesia without the need for intubation that we have recently developed, alongside appropriate analgesia and monitoring. The protocol can be readily adapted to be used together with advanced research techniques, such as two-photon microscopy and optical imaging. Including a 5-d postoperative care plan, this protocol takes 7 d to complete. The protocol requires a team of personnel experienced in marmoset care and handling, and small-animal neurosurgery; an assistant for monitoring the animal and assisting with anesthesia; and an MRI technician.

Hypoxemia after single‐shot anesthesia in common marmosets

“…However, it is recommended to administrate anticholinergic agents as a premedication drug when common marmosets are anesthetized by alphaxalone. 15,16 We found the decrease of blood oxygen level during anesthesia not only with protocol-KXA, which intended for sedation and analgesia during highly invasive procedures, 17,18 but also with protocol-A.…”

Mapping the neural circuitry of predator fear in the nonhuman primate

“…2B ). Recent advances in MRI-guided stereotaxic surgery in the marmoset(18) have enabled the precise delivery of reagents to discrete brain regions. Following recovery, the animals were trained for an additional five days, during which time their baseline behaviors in the isolated testing room were recorded.…”

Targeted Patching and Dendritic Ca2+ Imaging in Nonhuman Primate Brain in vivo

“…Regions of interest for spine calcium imaging analyses were restricted to the clearly visible protrusions emanating laterally from the dendritic shaft, as described previously 1, 18, 19 . To remove the noises from respiration (rate = 0.5–0.6 Hz) and heartbeat (rate = 4–5 Hz) 24 , the Δf/f traces shown in all figures were first notch filtered (0.6 and 4 Hz) and then low-pass filtered (0–5 Hz) with Butterworth filter (3rd order).…”