The primate amygdaloid complex has long been identified as an important component of the brain system involved in mediating appropriate species-specific behaviors such as threat and defense. Large lesions of the inferior temporal lobe, which include the amygdala, produce the so called """"""""Kluver-Bucy Syndrome"""""""" which has been characterized as an inability to attribute emotional significance to perceived stimuli. Critical reading of the literature, however, indicates that the experimental basis for this characterization remains tenuous. Previous studies have often suffered either from the lack of discrete lesions, comprehensive histological analysis or ethologically appropriate and sophisticated behavioral assessment. Moreover, recent studies in the human indicate that congenital impairment of amygdaloid function may be more debilitating to normal emotional and social interactions than lesions produced in the mature individual. The program of studies outlined in this revised application uses sophisticated neurobiological and behavioral methods to reassess the role of the primate amygdala in normal social interaction. The studies are carried out in the context of a long-standing program of neuroanatomical studies which demonstrate that the amygdala receives sensory information from widespread regions of the neocortex. The overarching hypothesis guiding this program is that the amygdala functions as a high level perceptual filter that interprets ongoing sensory information in order to orchestrate an appropriate species-specific response. The proposed studies will employ MRI-guided, axon-sparing stereotaxic ibotenic acid lesions of the amygdala along with the assessment of behavioral and physiological responses during dyadic and tetradic social interactions and videotape presentations. Behavioral data will demonstrate whether complete or partial amygdala lesions in the mature primate produce deficits in affiliative and/or agonistic behaviors. In a second phase of these studies, complete amygdala lesions will be produced in neonatal macaque monkeys. The effects of these lesions on mother-infant and juvenile-juvenile interactions will be evaluated. Future studies (when the neonates have matured) will analyze dyadic and tetradic social interactions and thus allow comparisons of the severity of effects of neonatal or mature amygdala lesions on social behavior. During these experiments, the pituitary-adrenal activation of lesioned and control monkeys in response to social and restraint stressors will also be analyzed. These studies will provide important insights into the neurobiology of normal social behavior and may contribute to an understanding of pathologies of social communication in disorders such as autism.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
1R01MH057502-01A1
Application #
2631107
Study Section
Psychobiology, Behavior, and Neuroscience Review Committee (PBN)
Project Start
1998-08-01
Project End
2003-07-31
Budget Start
1998-08-01
Budget End
1999-07-31
Support Year
1
Fiscal Year
1998
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
University of California Davis
Department
Psychiatry
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
094878337
City
Davis
State
CA
Country
United States
Zip Code
95618
Moadab, Gilda; Bliss-Moreau, Eliza; Amaral, David G (2015) Adult social behavior with familiar partners following neonatal amygdala or hippocampus damage. Behav Neurosci 129:339-50
Bliss-Moreau, Eliza; Bauman, Melissa D; Amaral, David G (2011) Neonatal amygdala lesions result in globally blunted affect in adult rhesus macaques. Behav Neurosci 125:848-58
Babineau, B A; Bliss-Moreau, E; Machado, C J et al. (2011) Context-specific social behavior is altered by orbitofrontal cortex lesions in adult rhesus macaques. Neuroscience 179:80-93
Bliss-Moreau, Eliza; Toscano, Jessica E; Bauman, Melissa D et al. (2010) Neonatal amygdala or hippocampus lesions influence responsiveness to objects. Dev Psychobiol 52:487-503
Martin, Loren A; Ashwood, Paul; Braunschweig, Daniel et al. (2008) Stereotypies and hyperactivity in rhesus monkeys exposed to IgG from mothers of children with autism. Brain Behav Immun 22:806-16
Lavenex, Pierre; Lavenex, Pamela Banta; Amaral, David G (2007) Spatial relational learning persists following neonatal hippocampal lesions in macaque monkeys. Nat Neurosci 10:234-9
Lavenex, Pamela Banta; Amaral, David G; Lavenex, Pierre (2006) Hippocampal lesion prevents spatial relational learning in adult macaque monkeys. J Neurosci 26:4546-58
Mason, William A; Capitanio, John P; Machado, Christopher J et al. (2006) Amygdalectomy and responsiveness to novelty in rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta): generality and individual consistency of effects. Emotion 6:73-81
Bauman, M D; Lavenex, P; Mason, W A et al. (2004) The development of mother-infant interactions after neonatal amygdala lesions in rhesus monkeys. J Neurosci 24:711-21
Bauman, M D; Lavenex, P; Mason, W A et al. (2004) The development of social behavior following neonatal amygdala lesions in rhesus monkeys. J Cogn Neurosci 16:1388-411

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