Kimberley A Phillips1, M Karen Hambright2, Kelly Hewes3, Brian M Schilder4, Corinna N Ross5, Suzette D Tardif6. 1. Department of Psychology, Trinity University, San Antonio, TX 78212, United States; Southwest National Primate Research Center, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, TX, United States. Electronic address: kimberley.phillips@trinity.edu. 2. Department of Social Sciences, College of Coastal Georgia, Brunswick, GA 31520, United States. 3. Department of Psychology, Trinity University, San Antonio, TX 78212, United States. 4. Department of Anthropology, Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, United States. 5. Southwest National Primate Research Center, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, TX, United States; Department of Biology, Texas A&M University San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, United States. 6. Southwest National Primate Research Center, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, TX, United States; Department of Cellular & Structural Biology, Barshop Institute for Longevity & Aging Studies, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78245, United States.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) is a small, New World primate that is used extensively in biomedical and behavioral research. This short-lived primate, with its small body size, ease of handling, and docile temperament, has emerged as a valuable model for aging and neurodegenerative research. A growing body of research has indicated exercise, aerobic exercise especially, imparts beneficial effects to normal aging. Understanding the mechanisms underlying these positive effects of exercise, and the degree to which exercise has neurotherapeutic effects, is an important research focus. Thus, developing techniques to engage marmosets in aerobic exercise would have great advantages. NEW METHOD: Here we describe the marmoset exercise ball (MEB) paradigm: a safe (for both experimenter and subjects), novel and effective means to engage marmosets in aerobic exercise. We trained young adult male marmosets to run on treadmills for 30 min a day, 3 days a week. RESULTS: Our training procedures allowed us to engage male marmosets in this aerobic exercise within 4 weeks, and subjects maintained this frequency of exercise for 3 months. COMPARISON WITH EXISTING METHODS: To our knowledge, this is the first described method to engage marmosets in aerobic exercise. A major advantage of this exercise paradigm is that while it was technically forced exercise, it did not appear to induce stress in the marmosets. CONCLUSIONS: These techniques should be useful to researchers wishing to address physiological responses of exercise in a marmoset model.
BACKGROUND: The common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) is a small, New World primate that is used extensively in biomedical and behavioral research. This short-lived primate, with its small body size, ease of handling, and docile temperament, has emerged as a valuable model for aging and neurodegenerative research. A growing body of research has indicated exercise, aerobic exercise especially, imparts beneficial effects to normal aging. Understanding the mechanisms underlying these positive effects of exercise, and the degree to which exercise has neurotherapeutic effects, is an important research focus. Thus, developing techniques to engage marmosets in aerobic exercise would have great advantages. NEW METHOD: Here we describe the marmoset exercise ball (MEB) paradigm: a safe (for both experimenter and subjects), novel and effective means to engage marmosets in aerobic exercise. We trained young adult male marmosets to run on treadmills for 30 min a day, 3 days a week. RESULTS: Our training procedures allowed us to engage male marmosets in this aerobic exercise within 4 weeks, and subjects maintained this frequency of exercise for 3 months. COMPARISON WITH EXISTING METHODS: To our knowledge, this is the first described method to engage marmosets in aerobic exercise. A major advantage of this exercise paradigm is that while it was technically forced exercise, it did not appear to induce stress in the marmosets. CONCLUSIONS: These techniques should be useful to researchers wishing to address physiological responses of exercise in a marmoset model.
Authors: N I Williams; D L Helmreich; D B Parfitt; A Caston-Balderrama; J L Cameron Journal: J Clin Endocrinol Metab Date: 2001-11 Impact factor: 5.958
Authors: Trisha E Gibbons; Brandt D Pence; Geraldine Petr; Jessica M Ossyra; Houston C Mach; Tushar K Bhattacharya; Samuel Perez; Stephen A Martin; Robert H McCusker; Keith W Kelley; Justin S Rhodes; Rodney W Johnson; Jeffrey A Woods Journal: Behav Brain Res Date: 2014-07-05 Impact factor: 3.332
Authors: Sandra B Chapman; Sina Aslan; Jeffrey S Spence; Laura F Defina; Molly W Keebler; Nyaz Didehbani; Hanzhang Lu Journal: Front Aging Neurosci Date: 2013-11-12 Impact factor: 5.750
Authors: Laren Riesche; Suzette D Tardif; Corinna N Ross; Victoria A deMartelly; Toni Ziegler; Julienne N Rutherford Journal: Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol Date: 2018-02-07 Impact factor: 3.619