Mar 28, 2024
Rating scale for parkinsonian motor signs in macaques and other non‐human primates
- Adriana Galvan1,2,
- Thomas Wichmann1,2
- 1Emory National Primate Research Center, 954 Gatewood Road NE, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA;
- 2Aligning Science Across Parkinson’s (ASAP) Collaborative Research Network (Team Wichmann), Chevy Chase, MD 20815, USA
Protocol Citation: Adriana Galvan, Thomas Wichmann 2024. Rating scale for parkinsonian motor signs in macaques and other non‐human primates. protocols.io https://dx.doi.org/10.17504/protocols.io.x54v928ppl3e/v1
License: This is an open access protocol distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited
Protocol status: Working
We use this protocol and it's working
Created: March 25, 2024
Last Modified: May 31, 2024
Protocol Integer ID: 97494
Keywords: ASAPCRN
Funders Acknowledgement:
ASAP
Grant ID: ASAP-020572
Disclaimer
The protocols.io team notes that research involving animals and humans must be conducted according to internationally-accepted standards and should always have prior approval from an Institutional Ethics Committee or Board.
Abstract
This protocol details rating scale for parkinsonian motor signs in macaques and other non‐human primates.
Attachments
p5g9bu5cf.pdf
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Guidelines
Appendix 1: Description of individual score criteria
Appendix 2: Example scoring sheet (4 days)
Description of rating scale
Description of rating scale
Parkinsonian motor signs in macaques closely resemble findings in humans. To quantify the degree of parkinsonism in our animals, we use the rating scale reproduced on the next two pages. There are a variety of such scales available, each differing slightly by areas of emphasis.1‐3
The scale emphasizes akinesia, bradykinesia and gait instability.
- The definition of the individual scale components is provided in appendix 1, and a sample scoring sheets (for 4 observations) is provided in appendix 2.
- The quantification of the chosen parkinsonian signs can be done based on observation only and can be applied to archival footage (such as video segments). Many of these items can be rated separately for either side (to generate scores for the right (R) or left (L) sides).
Appendix 1: Description of individual score criteria
Appendix 2: Example scoring sheet (4 days)
Other parkinsonian signs, such as tremor at rest, are inconstant (or not existent) in most non‐human primates.
- Rigidity, another cardinal sign of parkinsonism, is present in many animals, but, because it can only be tested by examination or instrumented studies (torque motor responses), was not included in the main list of items of our scale.
- These items, in addition to others such as chorea or dystonia, are included in a secondary list, used for documentation purposes only.
The 10 primary items of the scale each contribute maximally 3 points (adding up to 30 points total, with overall scores being used for items that are rated separately for the right and left side).
- We use the summary score to classify animals into those which are mildly parkinsonian (5‐10/30 points), moderately parkinsonian (10‐20/30 points), and severely parkinsonian (> 20 points).
Use of scale
Use of scale
It is a challenge to obtain a high‐quality record of the animal’s spontaneous behavior, as observations in a specialized cage or direct observations by an observer tend to influence the animal’s behavior. We therefore typically use the scale to observe animals in their home cages, either in person or (more commonly) on video tape.
To obtain reliable scores with low variance, the external conditions under which the animal’s behavior is examined should remain constant.
- Among these are the time of day of the observation, the cage position and proximity to other animals in the animal housing area, the lighting, the presence (or absence) of food items, and the presence or absence of auditory or other stimuli that may distract the animals or otherwise interfere with behavior.
Prior to the induction of parkinsonism, the animal should undergo at least 5 baseline observations against which the subsequent behavioral observations can be judged. 10‐20 minutes of observation times will provide adequate sampling of behaviors.
Protocol references
1. Kurlan, R., Kim, M. H. & Gash, D. M. Oral levodopa dose‐response study in MPTP‐induced hemiparkinsonian monkeys: assessment with a new rating scale for monkey parkinsonism. Mov Disord 6, 111‐118 (1991).
2. Imbert, C., Bezard, E., Guitraud, S., Boraud, T. & Gross, C. E. Comparison of eight clinical rating scales used for the assessment of MPTP‐induced parkinsonism in the Macaque monkey. J. Neurosci. Methods 96, 71‐76 (2000).
3. PoƩs, L. F. et al. A new quantitative rating scale for dyskinesia in nonhuman primates. Behav Pharmacol 26, 109‐116 (2015). https://doi.org:10.1097/FBP.0000000000000084