Assessment of Social Cognition in Non-human Primates Using a Network of Computerized Automated Learning Device (ALDM) Test Systems

The overall goal of this article is to use the automated learning device known as the A LDM to study social cognition in non-human primates. This is achieved by using a monkey equipped with an RFID microchip that can freely leave its enclosure to enter the A LDM testing units. The RFID microchip reader captures the numeric identity of the monkey when it enters an A LDM test unit.

And the test program displays cognitive experiments and records which animal uses which A LDM test and when adaptable protocols could inform the experimenter on the effect of the social mood and performance, social influences during cognitive testing and the cultural evolution of the behavior in transmission chains. The results validate the use of A LZM to study social cognition in non-human primates. We are happy to present a new protocol and to study social cognition in non-human primates.

This method used an automated learning device for monkeys known as A LDM. To begin prepare the test chambers equip a test chamber with sliding doors at the rear that can be open or closed. Open the back door of the A LDM unit to provide access to the test system from the enclosure.

Fit the front panel of the test chamber with a 7.3 by seven centimeter view port and two hand ports. Install an antenna connected to a microchip reader around each hand port. The antenna will capture the RFIG identity of the subject.

Install a 19 inch capacitive touchscreen in front of each test chamber. The touchscreen serves to present the stimuli and to record response related variables such as accuracy and response time. Connect a PC computer to each test unit that will serve to run the test program.

Connect a food dispenser to the PC computer via a parallel port. This dispenser delivers grains of dry wheat inside the A LDM monkey area. When the monkey enters the test chamber and reaches through the hand port, the computer recognizes the individual, starts the experiment and records the response.

To set up the network, install 10 A LDM units inside, two eight by four meter trailers connected to the monkey enclosure with five A LDM units in each trailer. Connect each A LDM test unit to a unique controlling server accessible via an IP address. The test program should be designed to upload information on each monkey from the server before each trial, and also update the subject's text file on the server at the conclusion of each trial.

Ensure that the A LDM unit synchronizes the A LDM clock twice a day. After each trial store the following data as a text file, date and time name of the current test program. Monkey name number assigned to the A LDM test unit.

Test level, either training or test the score, either one for a correct behavioral response or two for an incorrect response. And finally, response time. Animals can freely access the A LDM system.

This paradigm is used to assess the effects of the valence of effective states on animals cognitive performance during computerized A LDM testing. To begin install a visual search task insisting of the selection of a target visual stimulus among several distractors on each computer over eight days. Observe and manually record the behavior exhibited by each individual in the enclosure and record the timing of the behavior with a timer synchronized to the controlling server group.

The behaviors exhibited in the enclosure in three clusters corresponding to emotionally positive social events such as grooming, emotionally negative social events such as threat and emotionally non-social neutral events such as object manipulation. Analyze the response times of the visual search task obtained within a three minute time window following a behavioral observation in the enclosure, synchronize the behavioral observations and computer data and analyze This protocol. Eczema is the inference of the search context and presence of other individuals on cognitive performance recorded during computerized ILDM testing.

This time install a task in which an app parallelogram is followed by a response on the left side of the screen or on the right side to circle is presented. Allow the monkey to use the test system as they want. Several monkeys can therefore use adjacent test systems.

The computer records which individual uses which system. Ensure that the test program records the performance of each individual as well as the social context of the trial. For example, if the other A LDM test units are simultaneously used and by which monkey when all data is collected, analyze variations in response time depending on the social context.

We can also use this paradigm to study the evolution of socially transmitted information. First, train the participants to solve a simple memory task in which they first see four randomly chosen red squares in a four by four grid of otherwise white ones after 400 milliseconds, change all the red squares to white and reward the participants when they touch the squares that were previously read. Once trained, test the monkeys in sequence present the first monkey with a set of grids randomly generated by the computer, and use the squares touched to produce the stimuli for the next individual in the chain and so on.

Determine how successful the monkeys are at performing the task to depending on the number of transmission events. This figure shows mean response times in the visual search task immediately following social, positive, negative, or neutral events. Error bars represent the standard deviation as shown here.

The response times following negatively Valent behaviors such as threats were significantly slower than those following neutral and positively valent social behaviors such as grooming. This study demonstrates that the social moods affect the performance during cognitive testing. This figure shows the meme response times and the number of conspecifics present during each trial.

In the adjacent A LDM test units error barss represent the standard error. The response time decreases with the number of individuals present in the trailer indicating a social facilitation effect of well land responses. This final figure indicates an increase in performance during transmission trials as shown by the blue squares, but not in a random control condition as shown by the orange circles.

Avars represent the standard error. After watching this video, you should have a good understanding on how to use the A LDM test system to study social cognition in non-human primates. Following these procedure, these methods can be used to answer additional questions such as the searcher or the social network, for instance, and much more.