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Training nonhuman primates to perform behaviors useful in biomedical research

Lab Animal volume 34, pages 37–42 (2005)Cite this article

Abstract

Data collected from NHPs that are trained to participate voluntarily in husbandry, veterinary, and research procedures are likely to have particular value. The authors present the results of a series of studies that examined the effects of PRT on the performance by chimpanzees of a variety of biomedically relevant behaviors: presenting their perineum for pinworm testing, providing a semen sample, presenting for an s.c. injection, and presenting for an i.m. injection. The overall trends across studies indicate that PRT techniques have significant value in the handling and management of NHPs in many laboratory research settings, including less variability in the data collected and fewer potential confounding variables, which should lead to important refinements in the definition of NHPs as biomedical research models.

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Figure 1: Frequency distribution of training time invested to achieve reliability for presentation of the thigh for an i.m. injection.

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Acknowledgements

The positive reinforcement training program at UTMDACC was initially developed by Michale E. Keeling, Mollie Bloomsmith, Tim Desmond, and Gail Laule. Thanks to Todd Bowsher for assistance with the semen collection and to Margaret Whittaker for valuable contributions to the training program. Thanks also to the UTMDACC chimpanzee section's veterinary and caregiving staffs for keeping the animals in exceptional condition. Financial support for portions of the projects came from NIH/NCRR grant U42-RR05080. This article is dedicated to the memory of Michale E. Keeling, DVM, a strong supporter of this type of work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Veterinary Sciences, Michale E. Keeling Center for Comparative Medicine and Research, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, 650 Cool Water Dr., Bastrop, 78602, TX

    Steven J. Schapiro PhD, Jaine E. Perlman, Erica Thiele & Susan Lambeth

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  1. Steven J. Schapiro PhD
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  2. Jaine E. Perlman
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Correspondence to Steven J. Schapiro PhD.

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Schapiro, S., Perlman, J., Thiele, E. et al. Training nonhuman primates to perform behaviors useful in biomedical research. Lab Anim 34, 37–42 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1038/laban0505-37

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