Understanding the human visual system through the study of non-human primates

American monkeys which are being increasingly becoming adopted as animal models in neuroscience. Knowledge about the marmoset visual system has developed rapidly over the last decade. But what are the comparative advantages, and disadvantages involved in adopting this emerging model? In this talk I will present case studies where the simpler and more reproducible morphology of the marmoset brain, and the shorter developmental cycle of this species, have been key factors in facilitating fundamental discoveries about the anatomy and physiology of the visual system. Although no single species provides the “ideal” animal model for studies of the neural bases of sensorimotor processing and cognition, I argue that the development of robust methodologies for the study of the marmoset brain provides exciting opportunities to address long standing problems in systems and developmental neuroscience.