Simultaneous functional MRI of two awake marmosets

Here, the authors present MRI hardware and an image-processing pipeline for simultaneous functional imaging of two marmosets within the same scanner, removing the confounds of remote hyperscanning. Social cognition is a dynamic process that requires the perception and integration of a complex set of idiosyncratic features between interacting conspecifics. Here we present a method for simultaneously measuring the whole-brain activation of two socially interacting marmoset monkeys using functional magnetic resonance imaging. MRI hardware (a radiofrequency coil and peripheral devices) and image-processing pipelines were developed to assess brain responses to socialization, both on an intra-brain and inter-brain level. Notably, the brain activation of a marmoset when viewing a second marmoset in-person versus when viewing a pre-recorded video of the same marmoset-i.e., when either capable or incapable of socially interacting with a visible conspecific-demonstrates increased activation in the face-patch network. This method enables a wide range of possibilities for potentially studying social function and dysfunction in a non-human primate model.

Automated summary

The authors present an MRI hardware and image-processing pipeline for simultaneous functional imaging of two marmosets, showing increased brain activation in the face-patch network when the monkeys interact in person compared to viewing a pre-recorded video. This method offers a wide range of possibilities for studying social function and dysfunction in non-human primate models.