Behavioral Assessment in the African Green Monkey After MPTP Administration

This chapter describes the behavioral methods of our research program for assessing the effects of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) intoxication in the African green monkey as well as various strategies for reversing those effects. MPTP intoxication has been extensively described as a model for Parkinson’s disease. I will describe how and why our particular methods were developed, how they are done, and what advantages and disadvantages that they have, with illustration using data collected from our program over a number of years. Analysis of these data replicated earlier findings as well as revealed new information about the effects of MPTP in primates. These data also show the validity, sensitivity, and utility of these methods.