2023 Fiscal Year Annual Research Report
Geometric morphometrics for the study of facial expression of pain in common marmosets
| Project/Area Number |
21K20616
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| Research Institution | Kyoto University |
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Principal Investigator |
WILSON DUNCAN 京都大学, 文学研究科, 講師 (20828925)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2021-08-30 – 2024-03-31
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| Keywords | geometric morphometrics / facial expression / pain / behaviour / common marmoset |
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| Outline of Annual Research Achievements |
In the final fiscal year, the main geometric morphometric (GMM) analysis to compare common marmoset face shape changes before and after a painful procedure was completed. Shape changes were subtle, but GMM analysis revealed that the eye and mouth areas contracted and the ear tufts raised more post-surgery, suggesting that these changes may be associated with pain. As predicted, the most obvious face shape changes appeared one-day post-surgery and before administration of additional analgesics, when pain intensity was expected to be highest. These findings are consistent with a recent similar GMM study conducted in Japanese macaques. Facial analysis of individual marmosets and pain-related behaviours is pending, but the study provides further evidence that GMM is a useful tool for behaviour-based pain assessment in non-human primates, which will contribute towards improving pain recognition and welfare. A paper based on these results is in preparation. We also published a related paper entitled ‘Hormonal and behavioural responses to visual social cues in common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus)’ in the journal Applied Animal Behaviour Science, which applies our common marmoset Facial Action Coding System (CalliFACS) to understand marmoset facial expressions in relation to visual social cues.
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