Anatomical and functional neuroimaging in awake, behaving marmosets

• Published in: Developmental neurobiology (Hoboken, N.J.) N.J.), 2017-03, Vol.77 (3), p.373-389
• Main Author: Silva, Afonso C.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Brain - anatomy & histology; Brain - physiology; Callithrix - anatomy & histology; Callithrix - physiology; functional magnetic resonance imaging; Magnetic Resonance Imaging - methods; marmoset; neuroimaging; Neuroimaging - methods; transgenic marmosets; two‐photon laser scanning microscopy
• ISSN: 1932-8451; 1932-846X
• DOI: 10.1002/dneu.22456

ABSTRACT The common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) is a small New World monkey that has gained significant recent interest in neuroscience research, not only because of its compatibility with gene editing techniques, but also due to its tremendous versatility as an experimental animal model. Neuroimaging modalities, including anatomical (MRI) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), complemented by two‐photon laser scanning microscopy and electrophysiology, have been at the forefront of unraveling the anatomical and functional organization of the marmoset brain. High‐resolution anatomical MRI of the marmoset brain can be obtained with remarkable cytoarchitectonic detail. Functional MRI of the marmoset brain has been used to study various sensory systems, including somatosensory, auditory, and visual pathways, while resting‐state fMRI studies have unraveled functional brain networks that bear great correspondence to those previously described in humans. Two‐photon laser scanning microscopy of the marmoset brain has enabled the simultaneous recording of neuronal activity from thousands of neurons with single cell spatial resolution. In this article, we aim to review the main results obtained by our group and by our colleagues in applying neuroimaging techniques to study the marmoset brain. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Develop Neurobiol 77: 373–389, 2017