Contents

### **Preface XI**


## Chapter 9 **The Endocannabinoid System in the Vervet Monkey Retina 145** Joseph Bouskila, Roberta Palmour, Jean-François Bouchard and Maurice Ptito

## Chapter 10 **White Matter Tracts Visualized by Parvalbumin in Nonhuman Primates 163**

Preface

For over a century, there has been a recognition that through careful study and observation of primates, critical insights into human evolution, psyche, and biology continue to be iden‐ tified. At the beginning of the twentieth century, Eugene Marias (*My Friends the Baboons*) went as far as to imply that for the very existence and perseverance of humanity, we must learn from our closest related species, that is, primates. Although this is a broad statement, Marias argued that the fight against deadly diseases, surgical procedures, and understand‐ ing of our own self-awareness and psyche have all been made possible by primate research. He also recognized the importance of observing primates in their natural habitat as their adaptability to a multitude of ever-changing environments provides unique clues about hu‐ man capabilities. Our understanding of primates is an ongoing process with the complexity and richness of primate life and interactions demonstrating an intraspecific variability that

This book contains 10 chapters that address primate phylogeny, natural observations, primate ecosystem, and mechanisms to minimize the consequences of human activity on natural habi‐ tat, sociocognitive abilities, disease pathophysiology, and biomedical research. The first part of this book examines the phylogeny of primates as an ongoing process that is evolving as new genetic- and molecular-based investigations, which propels this field. The second part examines the natural observations of the Philippine tarsier (one of the least studied primates) and human-primate interactions in Madagascar. These chapters provide a unique insight into the labor-intensive naturalistic observations in a tropical setting and an innovative effort to work with local governments and communities to ensure preservation of habitat. The third part examines the primate sociocognitive abilities by examining neural-temporal units and information processing in time budget and self-recognition in primates. The fourth section involves examining the pathophysiology and origin of gibbon ape leukemia and Chagas dis‐ ease. These studies highlight the contribution of primate research to the biomedical field as well as provide a platform to examine and investigate diseases that have the potential to harm humans. The 30-plus-year history of using macaques to study the pathophysiology of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and the recent discovery of potential neurodevelopmental im‐ pairment as a result of both pre- and postnatal Zika infections are a further testament to the power and continual need for primate research. Finally, the last section of this book examines species-specific neuroanatomical characteristics of primate brain through the investigation of

Contributions to this volume originate from distinguished faculty from a multitude of coun‐ tries including the United States, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Brazil, Czech Republic, France, Madagascar, and Switzerland. We are grateful for their thoughtful and stimulating chapters that will be useful for the graduate students, instructors, and researchers as a

mirrors interactions, adaptability, and richness of human cultures and societies.

the endocannabinoid system and white matter tracks.

springboard for discussion and generation of research questions.

Kathleen Rockland
