An ethologically based, stimulus and gender-sensitive nonhuman primate model for anxiety

Area of Science:

• Behavioral pharmacology
• Primate behavior studies

Background:

• Anticholinergic drugs are investigated for potential therapeutic applications in anxiety-related disorders.
• Understanding drug effects on behavior requires robust testing paradigms.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish a dose-response relationship for benactyzine hydrochloride on behavioral responses in squirrel monkeys.
• To investigate gender differences in behavioral responses to benactyzine hydrochloride.
• To validate a testing paradigm for assessing drugs targeting anxiety-related behaviors.

Main Methods:

• Adult male and female squirrel monkeys underwent social separation followed by exposure to humans with capture gloves.
• Behavioral responses, including vocalizations and locomotor activity, were measured.
• Monkeys received intramuscular injections of benactyzine hydrochloride at varying doses (0.0-3.0 mg/kg).

Main Results:

• A dose-response relationship was identified for bark/yap vocalizations, with 1.0 mg/kg being the most effective dose.
• Significant gender differences in bark/yap vocalizations were observed across all drug doses.
• Locomotor activity data was also collected but not detailed in the abstract.

Conclusions:

• The 1.0 mg/kg dose of benactyzine hydrochloride was most effective in altering vocalizations.
• Squirrel monkeys exhibit distinct gender-based responses to benactyzine hydrochloride.
• This testing paradigm can efficiently identify gender differences in drug responses for anxiety treatments.