Going beyond established model systems of Alzheimer’s disease: companion animals provide novel insights into the neurobiology of aging

de Sousa, A.A ORCID: 0000-0003-2379-3894, Rigby Dames, B.A, Graff, E.C, Mohamedelhassan, R, Vassilopoulos, T and Charvet, C.J (2023) 'Going beyond established model systems of Alzheimer’s disease: companion animals provide novel insights into the neurobiology of aging.' Communications Biology, 6. e655. ISSN 2399-3642

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Abstract

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is characterized by brain plaques, tangles, and cognitive impairment. AD is one of the most common age-related dementias in humans. Progress in characterizing AD and other age-related disorders is hindered by a perceived dearth of animal models that naturally reproduce diseases observed in humans. Mice and nonhuman primates are model systems used to understand human diseases. Still, these model systems lack many of the biological characteristics of Alzheimer-like diseases (e.g., plaques, tangles) as they grow older. In contrast, companion animal models (cats and dogs) age in ways that resemble humans. Both companion animal models and humans show evidence of brain atrophy, plaques, and tangles, as well as cognitive decline with age. We embrace a One Health perspective, which recognizes that the health of humans is connected to those of animals, and we illustrate how such a perspective can work synergistically to enhance human and animal health. A comparative biology perspective is ideally suited to integrate insights across veterinary and human medical disciplines and solve long-standing problems in aging.

Item Type:	Article
UN SDGs:	Goal 3: Good Health and Well-Being Goal 15: Life on Land
Keywords:	cognitive ageing, neural ageing
Subjects:	B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology Q Science > QH Natural history Q Science > QH Natural history > QH301 Biology Q Science > QH Natural history > QH426 Genetics Q Science > QL Zoology Q Science > QM Human anatomy R Medicine > R Medicine (General) R Medicine > RA Public aspects of medicine R Medicine > RA Public aspects of medicine > RA0421 Public health. Hygiene. Preventive Medicine R Medicine > RB Pathology R Medicine > RC Internal medicine > RC0321 Neuroscience. Biological psychiatry. Neuropsychiatry R Medicine > RZ Other systems of medicine
Divisions:	School of Sciences
Identification Number:	https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-023-05034-3
Date Deposited:	23 Jun 2023 19:11
Last Modified:	23 Jun 2023 19:11
URI / Page ID:	https://researchspace.bathspa.ac.uk/id/eprint/15400

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