National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research (NC3Rs), Gibbs Building, 215 Euston Road, London NW1 2BE, UK.
Biosciences Institute & Centre for Behaviour and Evolution, Newcastle University, Medical School, Framlington Place, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4HH, UK.
Neuroimage. 2021 Jan 15;225:117521. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.117521. Epub 2020 Nov 1.
Magnetic resonance imaging is playing a significant role in applying the 3Rs to neuroscience studies using non-human primates. MRI scans are contributing to refinement by enhancing the selection and assignment of animals, guiding the manufacture of custom-fitted recording and head fixation devices, and assisting with the diagnosis of health issues and their treatment. MRI is also being used to better understand the impact of neuroscience procedures on the welfare of NHPs. MRI has helped to optimise NHP use and make greater scientific progress than would otherwise be made using larger numbers of animals. Whilst human fMRI studies have replaced some NHP studies, their potential to directly replace NHP electrophysiology is limited at present. Given the considerable advantages of MRI for electrophysiology experiments, including improved welfare of NHPs, consideration should be given to focusing NHP electrophysiology laboratories around MRI facilities. Greater sharing of MRI data sets, and improvements in MRI contrast and resolution, are expected to further advance the 3Rs in the future.
磁共振成像在将 3R 原则应用于非人类灵长类动物的神经科学研究中发挥着重要作用。MRI 扫描通过增强动物的选择和分配、指导定制记录和头部固定装置的制造以及协助诊断健康问题及其治疗，有助于改进。MRI 还被用于更好地了解神经科学程序对非人类灵长类动物福利的影响。MRI 有助于优化非人类灵长类动物的使用，并取得比使用更多动物更大的科学进展。虽然人类 fMRI 研究已经取代了一些非人类灵长类动物研究，但目前它们直接替代非人类灵长类动物电生理学的潜力有限。鉴于 MRI 对电生理学实验具有相当大的优势，包括提高非人类灵长类动物的福利，应考虑将非人类灵长类动物电生理学实验室集中在 MRI 设施周围。未来，MRI 数据集的更大共享以及 MRI 对比度和分辨率的提高有望进一步推进 3R 原则。
