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The Perception of the Müller-Lyer Visual Illusion in Schizophrenics and Non-human Primates: A Translational Approach

Authors :
Ana Luísa Lamounier Costa
Ronaldo Coelho Silva
Pedro H. Coelho-Cordeiro
Fernando Silva da Silveira
Marilia Barros
Fabio Viegas Caixeta
Rafael S. Maior
Source :
Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, Vol 15 (2021)
Publication Year :
2021
Publisher :
Frontiers Media S.A., 2021.

Abstract

The Müller-Lyer Illusion (MLI) has been suggested as a potential marker for the perceptual impairments observed in schizophrenia patients. Along with some positive symptoms, these deficits are not easily modeled in rodent experiments, and novel animal models are warranted. Previously, MK-801 was shown to reduce susceptibility to MLI in monkeys, raising the prospects of an effective perception-based model. Here, we evaluate the translational feasibility of the MLI task under NMDA receptor blockage as a primate model for schizophrenia. In Experiment 1, eight capuchin monkeys (Sapajus spp.) were trained on a touchscreen MLI task. Upon reaching the learning criteria, the monkeys were given ketamine (0.3 mg/kg; i.m.) or saline on four consecutive days and then retested on the MLI task. In Experiment 2, eight chronic schizophrenia patients (and eight matching controls) were tested on the Brentano version of the MLI. Under saline treatment, monkeys were susceptible to MLI, similarly to healthy human participants. Repeated ketamine administrations, however, failed to improve their performance as previous results with MK-801 had shown. Schizophrenic patients, on the other hand, showed a higher susceptibility to MLI when compared to healthy controls. In light of the present and previous studies, the MLI task shows consistent results across monkeys and humans. In spite of potentially being an interesting translational model of schizophrenia, the MLI task warrants further refinement in non-human primates and a broader sample of schizophrenia subtypes.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
16625153
Volume :
15
Database :
Directory of Open Access Journals
Journal :
Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
edsdoj.1b1d4a860913470baef4d170a1c9de5f
Document Type :
article
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.3389/fnbeh.2021.641776