A technique for intracisternal collection and administration in a rhesus macaque

Accessing the subarachnoid space via intrathecal needle placement can be done in nonhuman primates (NHPs) and other species to collect cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) or to deliver agents into the CSF. Researchers can use a variety of techniques for intrathecal collection and administration. Drawing on various published resources and previous experience with intracisternal CSF sampling, the authors sought to modify one collection technique to include CSF administration. Here, the authors describe how they collected CSF from the cisterna magna of rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) and administered substances through the cisterna magna into the CSF. They identify potential concerns that they had when developing the technique and describe how they alleviated those concerns. The authors found this technique, which relies heavily on teamwork, to be an effective method for intracisternal injection of an experimental compound.