CalliCog: an open-source cognitive neuroscience toolkit for freely behaving nonhuman primates

Area of Science:

• Cognitive Neuroscience
• Primate Research
• Neuroscience Technology

Background:

• Nonhuman primate (NHP) cognitive research is typically limited to specialized labs.
• Small NHPs like marmosets are valuable models, but studies are labor-intensive and expert-dependent.
• Existing methods present accessibility barriers for broader scientific community engagement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce CalliCog, an open-source, in-cage platform for automated cognitive experiments with small NHPs.
• To enable freely behaving experiments that integrate behavioral analysis with neural recordings.
• To reduce technical barriers and costs associated with NHP cognitive research.

Main Methods:

• Developed modular, autonomous operant chambers that integrate with home cages for small NHPs.
• Utilized CalliCog for touchscreen-based cognitive task training in common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus).
• Synchronized behavioral data with electrocorticography (ECoG) recordings from freely moving animals.

Main Results:

• Experimentally naïve marmosets achieved touchscreen proficiency within two weeks across two facilities.
• Marmosets successfully completed tasks assessing behavioral flexibility and working memory.
• Precise synchronization of behavioral and neural data was achieved, enabling advanced neurobehavioral research.

Conclusions:

• CalliCog democratizes cognitive experimentation with small NHPs by providing an accessible, automated platform.
• The system effectively trains marmosets and integrates with neural recordings, advancing cognitive neuroscience.
• Open-source accessibility of CalliCog aims to narrow the translational gap between preclinical models and human cognition.