Spatiotemporal quantification of gait in common marmosets

• Published in: Journal of neuroscience methods Vol. 330; p. 108517
• Main Authors: Pickett, Kristen A., Schultz-Darken, Nancy, Bradfield, Abigail F., Malicki, Kerri, Pape, Bruce, Ausderau, Karla K., Emborg, Marina E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 15.01.2020
• Subjects: Animals; Biomechanical Phenomena - physiology; Callithrix - physiology; Common marmosets; Duty cycle; Female; Gait; Gait - physiology; Locomotion; Male; Monkeys; Stride; Locomotion; Monkeys; Stride; Gait; Common marmosets; Duty cycle
• ISSN: 0165-0270; 1872-678X; 1872-678X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2019.108517

Partial screenshot of the CatWalk Noldus XT run visualization screen during acquisition of a common marmoset run, showing the right front (RF) and left hindlimb (LH) identified. [Display omitted] •The Noldus CatWalk XT10.6 was modified for use in common marmoset monkeys.•It allowed unbiased automated quantification of marmosets’ gait.•The data acquisition required minimal animal habituation.•Completion of four consecutive hind-limb footfalls defined a successful run.•A diagonal gait pattern was observed in all subjects. Objective gait evaluation in humans is used as a predictive disability outcome measure as well as an indicator for intervention effectiveness. Parallel methods of gait analysis in nonhuman primate models are essential for clinical translation. The goal of this study was to first assess whether marmosets’ gait data could be reliably collected in a Noldus CatWalk XT10.6 and second, establish a testing protocol to assess gait and the intraindividual variability during repeated testing. The CatWalk, originally developed for rodents, was modified and used to assess gait in eight adult common marmoset monkeys across multiple days and trials. Data was first analyzed to identify valid runs. Repeated measures ANOVA was completed for the following gait measures: mean base of support, average stride length, average swing time, and average stance time. Raters had a high level of concurrence of usable data across all trials with successful trials including four consecutive hindfoot footfalls, during a continuous, uninterrupted segment of walking. A significant main effect of time (p < 0.000) but not rater (p = 0.98) was present with significant interactions for time by subject (p < 0.000), but not rater per subject (p = 0.538), time (p = 0.186), or three-way interaction (p = 0.297). Gait has been assessed using force-plate and video data. The CatWalk allowed reproducible, automated and translational locomotor data to be collected at multiple time points with detailed analyses that identified a diagonal gait pattern. The CatWalk system, similar to those used in humans, can be effectively used to quantify spatiotemporal characteristics of gait in the common marmoset.