Non-human primate research of basal ganglia and movement disorders: advances and challenges

Excerpt

Research in nonhuman primates (NHPs) has played a critical role in advancing knowledge of the anatomy and physiology of the basal ganglia over the past 50 years. Furthermore, the 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-treated NHP model of Parkinson’s disease (PD) has been instrumental in the rejuvenation of surgical therapies for Parkinson’s disease and related movement disorders. Because the basal ganglia nuclei are divided and functionally compartmentalized in the same fashion in monkeys and humans, NHPs represent the most human-like related species to study basal ganglia organization in normal and diseased states. Another striking evolutionary feature that makes NHPs, in particular Old World monkeys (macaques, baboons, etc…), an ideal model to study basal ganglia function and dysfunction, is the significant expansion and complexity of the cerebral cortex in these primates compared with rodents or other non-primate species. In particular, the extensive development of high-order associative cortical regions provide monkeys human-like cognitive capabilities that cannot be assessed in any other animal species. The fact that most regions of the cerebral cortex are closely connected with the basal ganglia, and that dysfunction of these cortical areas, and their relationships with the basal ganglia, contribute to the pathophysiology of neurological and psychiatric disorders further highlight the importance of NHP research to further understand the neurobiology of these disorders and the development of appropriate therapeutic approaches. …