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Published on: September 29, 2019
Head-cocking as a form of exploration in the common marmoset and its development
Gisela Kaplan1, Lesley J Rogers
1Centre for Neuroscience and Animal Behaviour, University of New England, Armidale, NSW-2351, Australia. gkaplan@une.edu.au
Insights
Head-cocking in infant marmosets is crucial for visual processing, developing around Day 13 and peaking by Day 24-29. This behavior, linked to anogenital licking and exploration, intensifies with age.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Primate Behavior
- Developmental Biology
Background:
- Head-cocking is a behavior observed in infant marmosets during a critical period of synaptogenesis.
- The development of visual pathways, particularly the foveal representation in the visual cortex, coincides with the emergence of head-cocking.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the developmental timeline and characteristics of head-cocking behavior in infant marmosets.
- To explore the relationship between head-cocking, visual processing, and social interactions.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal scoring of head-cocking in 15 infant marmosets from postnatal Day 1 to 60.
- Recording of head-cocking angle, fixated object distance, and frequency during daily observation intervals.
- Concurrent scoring of anogenital licking behavior.
Main Results:
- Mean age of head-cocking onset was Day 13, with frequency stabilizing by Day 24-29.
- Head-cocking primarily involved fixation of objects within 0.5 meters.
- Increased anogenital licking correlated with higher levels of head-cocking, suggesting a link to exploratory behavior.
Conclusions:
- Head-cocking is an important behavior for visual processing in developing marmosets.
- The behavior's development aligns with visual cortex maturation.
- Head-cocking may serve as an exploratory behavior, influenced by social interactions like anogenital licking.
Abstract:
Head-cocking of 15 infant marmosets (Callithrix jacchus) was scored from Day 1 to 60 of postnatal life, the growth period with overproduction of interneuronal synapses. Head-cocking was scored during four 30 min intervals daily, including angle of head-cocking and objects being fixated. Mean age of onset of head-cocking was Day 13 (+/-1.3) and frequency increased to a fixed rate by Day 24-29, at the time of maturation of the foveal representation in layer 6 of the visual cortex, thus lending further support to the importance of head-cocking to visual processing. The most common distance of objects fixated during head-cocking was up to .5 m. Angle of head-cocking increased with age, and some asymmetry of direction was noted. Fewer head-cocking events occurred in the morning than in the afternoon. We also scored anogenital licking of offspring. Head-cocking occurred at higher levels in marmosets receiving more anogenital licking. As this was associated positively with increased exploration, head-cocking may be regarded as an exploratory behavior.
