From Cats to Primates and How They Reach

John Buford arrived at OSU in January 1999 bringing with him his NIH grant to continue the study of arm movement in non-human primates.

During the 1999 Primate Freedom Tour, his research was one of the targets in their campaign to get non-human primates out of the grasps of the research community. Taken from news reports below is the university response to this work.

Dr. John Buford, who is using monkeys to study how the brain makes the body move, said he's comfortable with what he does in his research.

``I don't take it trivially,'' Buford said. ``But I believe that the benefit of doing this is worth using the animal.''

Buford's experiment is based on positive reinforcement in the form of applesauce, not negative reinforcement like electric shock.

``He sees an image through a mirror -- it looks to him like that image is on the desk and he has to move his hand to these images in a certain sequence,'' Buford said.

When the monkey follows the sequence properly, it gets the applesauce, Buford said.

While the monkey moves its hand toward the image, an electronic monitor on the animal's brain records what parts of
the brain are involved in each part of the movement.

There is some surgery involved in Buford's experiment. A stainless-steel disk is inserted in place of a small section of the skull. The electrode, which measures about 1/100th of an inch, is inserted through a small hole in the disk, Buford said.

The monkey is properly anesthetized during the surgery and feels nothing when the electrode passes into the brain, Buford said.

Protesters ``are entitled to their opinion, but I've thought about this. I've seen their arguments and I just disagree with them,'' he said.

So you're probably wondering about the cats. While at the University of California (approx. 1990-1995) Dr. Bufords work was

• To gain new perspectives on the neural control of different forms of quadruped locomotion, we studied adaptations in posture and hindlimb kinematics for backward (BWD) walking in four normal cats. Adaptive control for backward quadrupedal walking. I. Posture and hindlimb kinematics.
  
• To compare the basic hindlimb synergies for backward (BWD) and forward (FWD) walking, electromyograms (EMG) were recorded from selected flexor and extensor muscles of the hip, knee, and ankle joints from four cats trained to perform both forms of walking at a moderate walking speed (0.6 m/s). Adaptive control for backward quadrupedal walking. II. Hindlimb muscle synergies.
  
• Four cats were trained to walk backward (BWD) and forward (FWD) on a motorized treadmill. Mechanical (taps) or electrical (pulses) stimuli were applied to the dorsal or ventral aspect of the hind paw during swing or stance. Adaptive control for backward quadrupedal walking. III. Stumbling corrective reactions and cutaneous reflex sensitivity.
• Hindlimb step-cycle kinetics of forward (FWD) and backward (BWD) walking in adult cats were assessed. Adaptive control for backward quadrupedal walking. IV. Hindlimb kinetics during stance and swing.
• In this, the fifth article in a series to assess changes in posture, hindlimb dynamics, and muscle synergies associated with backward (BWD) quadrupedal walking, we compared the recruitment of three biarticular muscles of the cat's anterior thigh (anterior sartorius, SAa; medial sartorius, SAm; rectus femoris, RF) for forward (FWD) and BWD treadmill walking. Adaptive control for backward quadrupedal walking V. Mutable activation of bifunctional thigh muscles.
  
  

Moving to University of Washington, Seattle, Dr. Buford also moved from cats to primates. Currently, Buford has 4 open protocols at Ohio State University.

02A0167 - Etiology of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Initially four (4) macaques were approved for use in these experiments.

May 11, 2004, ILACUC approved authorized three (3) additional primates and additional procedures for a surgical intervention in the development of a carpal tunnel syndrome model with primates.

Primate C07582 obtained from Battelle via Covance on April 8, 2004 to be used in protocol 02A0167. Surgery was performed on August 6, 2004. The primate appears to have successfully recovered until he was killed on October 10, 2004.

Some primates had been received under other protocols and then transferred to the Buford protocol, 02A0167. That is what happened to primates, 30-297, CT7B, and 89-04.

Primate 30-297 was received from Battelle on 5/22/03. As of 3/18/04 still alive.

Primate CT7B was received from LABS of Virginia on 7/31/03. As of 3/18/04 she was still alive.

Primate 89-04 was received from LABS of Virginia on 7/31/03. As of 3/18/04 she was still alive.

April 22, 2005 one of the primates used in this study was "received from the supllier with an internal telemetry unit implanted. They can not imagine the animals with this implant so an amendment was approved to remove the device.

Support for this study is from the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago who awarded a grant of $13,068 covering July 2004 to July 2005 and The National Institute of Occupational Safety & Health (your taxpayerdollars) awarding $210,406 covering April 2005 to March 2006.

01A0151 - Neuroanatomy of Reticulospinal & Related Systems

Six (6) primates were approved for use in this protocol.

00A0095 - Actions of the Scalene Muscles in the Non-Human Primate

Five (5) primates were approved for use in this protocol.

2004A0149/98A0144 - Reticulospinal Control of Reaching

Twelve (12) primates were initially aproved for this experiment. With amendments that number now stands at twenty (20) primates approved for experimentation.

For this experiment surgery is performed to implant cranial electrodes to record muscle activity.

The National Institute for Neurological Disorders & Stroke is funding this experiment with a $447,090 grant covering the life of these experiments which began in 1998 and will run till atleast January 2009.

In 2002 Buford published the following paper. Methods and conclusions from this paper appear to indicate that the study could have been performed by ONLY using human cadavers. But then, how much NIH money do you get for that?

Actions of the scalene muscles for rotation of the cervical spine in macaque and human.
J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2002 Oct

STUDY DESIGN: Multiple single-subject design in 2 parts: 1 in anesthetized monkeys and a follow-up in human cadavers. OBJECTIVES: To determine whether anterior, middle, and posterior scalene muscles rotate the cervical spine to the same (ipsilateral to the muscle) or opposite (contralateral to the muscle) side. BACKGROUND: Some physical therapy and anatomy textbooks indicate that all 3 scalenes rotate the cervical spine to the same side, some indicate that all rotate to the opposite side, and the rest ascribe different functions to the different scalenes. METHODS AND MEASURES: While under anesthesia, macaques (n = 3) already scheduled for euthanasia were implanted with stimulating electrodes in each scalene muscle on one side, and then a neuromuscular junction blocker was administered to prevent confounding movement from brachial plexus stimulation. Three observers independently rated the direction of rotation produced by electrical stimulation. Postmortem dissection of the macaques was used to determine which direction of passive rotation stretched each scalene. Postmortem analyses in 2 human cadavers were also conducted to determine which direction of rotation stretched the human scalenes. RESULTS: Electrical stimulation in the macaque produced rotation to the same side for each of the 3 scalenes. Passive rotation to the opposite side put each scalene muscle of the macaque on stretch. In the human, rotation to the opposite side also stretched each scalene. CONCLUSIONS: All 3 scalene muscles produce rotation of the cervical spine to the same side. Maximum stretching of the scalenes should include rotation to the opposite side.

Primates Used

These studies are presently conducted in non-human primates, specifically the cynomolgus monkey (Macaca fascicularis). The animals are received from Battelle and Charles River. The majority of the animals appear to have first been captured or breed in the African country of Mauritius.

In May 2003 P.O.E.T. requested information concerning the primates being used by Buford. On July 25, the first review took place. When the review has been completed data will be updated.

Ernie, has an estimated date of birth of April 1998. He was captured in Mauritius and shipped to a Charles River facility located in Texas. December 18, 2000 Battelle received a shipment of thirteen cynomolgus primates. Ernie, ID# 40-34, was one of those animals. Battelle delivered Ernie to OSU on Sept. 25, 2001.

Fred was part of a thirty-six (36) cynomolgus order received by Battelle, Nov. 26, 2000, from Covance Research, located in Texas. Fred, ID# 7505CQ, was provided to OSU on Oct. 5, 2001. There is a note that he is mildly aggressive. As well records indicate that he had a broken head restraint in 2003. Further information has been requested.

George (ID 121-0012) and Herbert (ID 121-0006) appear to have been two of the seven hundred twenty-five (725) macaques shipped from Mauritius to Charles River. They arrived at OSU, April 16, 2002 from Charles River. Their estimated date of birth is June 2000.

Ike (ID 14771) and Jimmy (ID 14775) arrived at OSU on May 17, 2002. They were received from Battelle, who had received them from Covance, January 22, 2002, as part of a total shipment of fifteen macaques.

A June 24, 1999 Veterinarian Observation Record mentions that "Abe" and "Ben" had accepted the collar and chairing as part of their training. So our question is: Where are Abe and Ben?

UPDATE: After our review of records Sept. 19, 2003, we learned that "Abe" and "Ben" had been killed in June and August of 2002. - are they id'ed as 15149 - 7/31/02 killed 8/2/02 and 14785 - 5/17/02 killed 6/3/02

Our record review also turned up the life and death of another primate used in Bufords' experiments, Primate 88-63.

88-63 is noted to have been born 11/96. 88-63 was original received from Battelle on March 30, 2000, and assigned to Dr. Robert Hamlin, DVM, for protocol, 97A0057 - . For whatever reason the primate was transferred to Dr. Buford on June 22, 2000 to be used in protocol 98A0144.

The results of this experiment are documented above. What you don't read about in the publication are the last terrible six months that 88-63 lived.

6/26/01 - scheduled for surgery for the implantation of spinal cord electrode at C4-C5 level.

6/27/01 - results of the surgery are right side defects. 88-63 is confined to the bottom portion of cage to prevent falling.

6/28/01 - moving more but still lacking control of right leg and hand.

7/12/01 - in surgery again for lead wire repair

8/30/01 - surgery for further implantation.

11/06/01 - Killed

Update 2/24/05

Cynomolgous ID # M00744 (M) - Arrived at OSU on June 7, 2005 from Covance. This primate was born October 1, 2002 in Mauritius and shipped to the US (Covance - Denver) on April 7, 2005.

Medical records indicate healthy animals. No records after July 18, 2005 but at that time the primate is alive.
Sometime between July, 2005 and October, 2005 primate #0744 is transferred to this protocol, 2004A0149. On 10/21/05 medical records note that the animal had a collar placement. No other records were provided.  

We have yet to receive the amendment but by attending the ILACUC meeting (2/24/06) we learned that Dr. Buford requested a change of primate from cynomolgous monkeys to rhesus monkeys because their muscles and brain are larger and provide precise locations of tracer injections. Does that mean his previous work was NOT precise? A statement in a recent Columbus Dispatch indicated that maybe that is true.

The monkeys, a species related to rhesus monkeys known as fascicularis, are killed and their brains dissected after the research so Buford knows he has recorded activity in the correct part of the brain. (3/13/05 - Primate research slow but not stopped)

cynomolgous and rhesus primate

Columbus Children's delivered two (2) rhesus monkeys to OSU December 30, 2005. The records indicate the animals went to Dr. Buford before approval of the amendment.

Rhesus ID #01R2313 (M) - arrived at OSU 12/30/05 - No additional medical records provided.

Rhesus ID #01R2287 (M) - arrived at OSU 12/30/05 - No additional medical records provided.

Update - 3/07/07 - records have been received and R2323 was killed 6/5/06.
R2287 was transferred to Amer Rajab protocols and was thought to have died of cardiac arrest on 1/30/06.
Rhesus monkey, 01R1081, was transferred from Rajab protocol and killed in Bufords lab 8/08/06.

The number of primates currently in the Buford protocols and those that have died are compiled on another page, Status and Update to Primates used in John Buford Protocols

2007A0223 - Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and Diabetes Model in Macaque was approved to use 10 non-human primates. Dr. Buford writes, " The initial purpose of these studies is to demonstrate a model of CTS (carpal tunnel syrdrome) in monkeys with diabetes and to compare the rate of development of CTS and the severity of CTS in monkeys with and without diabetes."

Issues with the experiments include diabetes induction. The primates do not naturally have diabetes it is chemically induced via a toxic drug, streptozotosin. Here are the words of the PI discussing the induction of diabetes chemically. This page is the inital justification for using animals.i

And then two clarifications requested by IACUC. Note the PI saying thar Streptozotocin is dangerous.

The new protocol was approved. We have requested information on the primates that will be used in this experiment. Also please note that all animals will be killed at the end of the expriments.

Carpal tunnel cases have plummeted according to a recent AP story. Why? One reason are businesses have incorporated ergonomics into the work place. So let's stop these experiments now! They will do nothing to help humans.

Last updated April 20, 2008
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