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Simon KE, Russell K, Mondino A, Yang CC, Case BC, Anderson Z, Whitley C, Griffith E, Gruen ME, Olby NJ. A randomized, controlled clinical trial demonstrates improved owner-assessed cognitive function in senior dogs receiving a senolytic and NAD+ precursor combination. Sci Rep 2024; 14:12399. [PMID: 38811634 PMCID: PMC11137034 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-63031-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2024] [Accepted: 05/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/31/2024] Open
Abstract
Age-related decline in mobility and cognition are associated with cellular senescence and NAD + depletion in dogs and people. A combination of a novel NAD + precursor and senolytic, LY-D6/2, was examined in this randomized controlled trial. Seventy dogs with mild to moderate cognitive impairment were enrolled and allocated into placebo, low or full dose groups. Primary outcomes were change in cognitive impairment measured with the owner-reported Canine Cognitive Dysfunction Rating (CCDR) scale and change in activity measured with physical activity monitors. Fifty-nine dogs completed evaluations at the 3-month primary endpoint, and 51 reached the 6-month secondary endpoint. There was a significant difference in CCDR score across treatment groups from baseline to the primary endpoint (p = 0.02) with the largest decrease in the full dose group. No difference was detected between groups using in house cognitive testing. There were no significant differences between groups in changes in measured activity. The proportion of dogs that improved in frailty and owner-reported activity levels and happiness was higher in the full dose group than other groups, however this difference was not significant. Adverse events occurred equally across groups. All groups showed improvement in cognition, frailty, and activity suggesting placebo effect and benefits of trial participation. We conclude that LY-D6/2 improves owner-assessed cognitive function over a 3-month period and may have broader, but more subtle effects on frailty, activity and happiness as reported by owners.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine E Simon
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Katharine Russell
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
- Southeast Veterinary Neurology, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Alejandra Mondino
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Chin-Chieh Yang
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Beth C Case
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Zachary Anderson
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Christine Whitley
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Emily Griffith
- Department of Statistics, College of Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Margaret E Gruen
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Natasha J Olby
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA.
- Comparative Medicine Institute, NC State University, Raleigh, NC, USA.
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2
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Noche JA, Radhakrishnan H, Ubele MF, Boaz K, Mefford JL, Jones ED, van Rooyen HY, Perpich JA, McCarty K, Meacham B, Smiley J, Bembenek Bailey SA, Puskás LG, Powell DK, Sordo L, Phelan MJ, Norris CM, Head E, Stark CEL. Age-Related Brain Atrophy and the Positive Effects of Behavioral Enrichment in Middle-Aged Beagles. J Neurosci 2024; 44:e2366232024. [PMID: 38561226 PMCID: PMC11097262 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2366-23.2024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2023] [Revised: 02/08/2024] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Aging dogs serve as a valuable preclinical model for Alzheimer's disease (AD) due to their natural age-related development of β-amyloid (Aβ) plaques, human-like metabolism, and large brains that are ideal for studying structural brain aging trajectories from serial neuroimaging. Here we examined the effects of chronic treatment with the calcineurin inhibitor (CNI) tacrolimus or the nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT)-inhibiting compound Q134R on age-related canine brain atrophy from a longitudinal study in middle-aged beagles (36 females, 7 males) undergoing behavioral enrichment. Annual MRI was analyzed using modern, automated techniques for region-of-interest-based and voxel-based volumetric assessments. We found that the frontal lobe showed accelerated atrophy with age, while the caudate nucleus remained relatively stable. Remarkably, the hippocampus increased in volume in all dogs. None of these changes were influenced by tacrolimus or Q134R treatment. Our results suggest that behavioral enrichment can prevent atrophy and increase the volume of the hippocampus but does not prevent aging-associated prefrontal cortex atrophy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Hamsanandini Radhakrishnan
- University of California, Irvine, California 92697
- University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104
| | | | - Kathy Boaz
- University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40506
| | | | - Erin D Jones
- University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40506
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Lorena Sordo
- University of California, Irvine, California 92697
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3
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Wu CH, Pan XS, Su LY, Yang SY. Plasma Neurofilament Light Chains as Blood-Based Biomarkers for Early Diagnosis of Canine Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:13771. [PMID: 37762074 PMCID: PMC10531274 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241813771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2023] [Revised: 09/02/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The number of elderly dogs is increasing significantly worldwide, and many elderly dogs develop canine cognitive dysfunction syndrome (CCDS). CCDS is the canine analog of Alzheimer's disease (AD) in humans. It is very important to develop techniques for detecting CDDS in dogs. Thus, we used the detection of neurofilament light chains (NfL) in plasma as a blood-based biomarker for the early diagnosis of canine Alzheimer's disease using immunomagnetic reduction (IMR) technology by immobilizing NfL antibodies on magnetic nanoparticles. According to the 50-point CCDS rating scale, we divided 36 dogs into 15 with CCDS and 21 without the disease. The results of our IMR assay showed that the plasma NfL levels of dogs with CCDS were significantly increased compared to normal dogs (p < 0.01). By plasma biochemical analysis, we further confirmed that the liver and renal dysfunction biomarkers of dogs with CCDS were significantly elevated compared to normal dogs (p < 0.01-0.05). On the basis of our preliminary study, we propose that IMR technology could be an ideal biosensor for detecting plasma NfL for the early diagnosis of CCDS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chung-Hsin Wu
- School of Life Science, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei 106, Taiwan
| | | | - Li-Yu Su
- Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei 106, Taiwan;
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4
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Kutzsche J, Schemmert S, Bujnicki T, Zafiu C, Halbgebauer S, Kraemer-Schulien V, Pils M, Blömeke L, Post J, Kulawik A, Jürgens D, Rossberg WM, Hümpel M, Bannach O, Otto M, Araujo JA, Willuweit A, Willbold D. Oral treatment with the all-d-peptide RD2 enhances cognition in aged beagle dogs - A model of sporadic Alzheimer's disease. Heliyon 2023; 9:e18443. [PMID: 37609390 PMCID: PMC10440458 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e18443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Revised: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 08/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Disease-modifying therapies to treat Alzheimer's disease (AD) are of fundamental interest for aging humans, societies, and health care systems. Predictable disease progression in transgenic AD models favors preclinical studies employing a preventive study design with an early pre-symptomatic treatment start, instead of assessing a truly curative approach with treatment starting after diagnosed disease onset. The aim of this study was to investigate the pharmacokinetic profile and efficacy of RD2 to enhance short-term memory and cognition in cognitively impaired aged Beagle dogs - a non-transgenic model of truly sporadic AD. RD2 has previously demonstrated pharmacodynamic efficacy in three different transgenic AD mouse models in three different laboratories. Here, we demonstrate that oral treatment with RD2 significantly reduced cognitive deficits in cognitively impaired aged Beagle dogs even beyond the treatment end, which suggests in combination with the treatment dependent CSF tau oligomer decrease a disease-modifying effect of RD2 treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janine Kutzsche
- Institute of Biological Information Processing, Structural Biochemistry (IBI-7), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
| | - Sarah Schemmert
- Institute of Biological Information Processing, Structural Biochemistry (IBI-7), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
| | - Tuyen Bujnicki
- Institute of Biological Information Processing, Structural Biochemistry (IBI-7), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
| | - Christian Zafiu
- Institute of Biological Information Processing, Structural Biochemistry (IBI-7), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
| | | | - Victoria Kraemer-Schulien
- Institute of Biological Information Processing, Structural Biochemistry (IBI-7), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
| | - Marlene Pils
- Institute of Biological Information Processing, Structural Biochemistry (IBI-7), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
- attyloid GmbH, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Lara Blömeke
- Institute of Biological Information Processing, Structural Biochemistry (IBI-7), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
- Institut für Physikalische Biologie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Julia Post
- Institute of Biological Information Processing, Structural Biochemistry (IBI-7), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
- Institut für Physikalische Biologie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Andreas Kulawik
- Institute of Biological Information Processing, Structural Biochemistry (IBI-7), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
| | - Dagmar Jürgens
- Institute of Biological Information Processing, Structural Biochemistry (IBI-7), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
| | | | | | - Oliver Bannach
- Institute of Biological Information Processing, Structural Biochemistry (IBI-7), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
- Institut für Physikalische Biologie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
- attyloid GmbH, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Markus Otto
- Institute of Experimental Neurology, Ulm University Hospital, Ulm, Germany
| | | | - Antje Willuweit
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, Medical Imaging Physics (INM-4), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
| | - Dieter Willbold
- Institute of Biological Information Processing, Structural Biochemistry (IBI-7), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
- Institut für Physikalische Biologie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
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5
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Kim J, Kwon D, Kim SS, Lee K, Yoon H. Measurement of brainstem diameter in small-breed dogs using magnetic resonance imaging. Front Vet Sci 2023; 10:1183412. [PMID: 37519998 PMCID: PMC10374218 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1183412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Measurement of brainstem diameters (midbrain, pons, and medulla oblongata)is of potential clinical significance, as changes in brainstem size may decrease or increase due to age, neurodegenerative disorders, or neoplasms. In human medicine, numerous studies have reported the normal reference range of brainstem size, which is hitherto unexplored in veterinary medicine, particularly for small-breed dogs. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the reference range of brainstem diameters in small-breed dogs and to correlate the measurements with age, body weight (BW), and body condition score (BCS). Herein, magnetic resonance (MR) images of 544 small-breed dogs were evaluated. Based on the exclusion criteria, 193 dogs were included in the midbrain and pons evaluation, and of these, 119 dogs were included in the medulla oblongata evaluation. Using MR images, the height and width of the midbrain, pons, and medulla oblongata were measured on the median and transverse plane on the T1-weighted image. For the medulla oblongata, two points were measured for each height and width. The mean values of midbrain height (MH), midbrain width (MW), pons height (PH), pons width (PW), medulla oblongata height at the fourth ventricle level (MOHV), medulla oblongata height at the cervicomedullary (CM) junction level (MOHC), rostral medulla oblongata width (RMOW), and caudal medulla oblongata width (CMOW) were 7.18 ± 0.56 mm, 17.42 ± 1.21 mm, 9.73 ± 0.64 mm, 17.23 ± 1.21 mm, 6.06 ± 0.53 mm, 5.77 ± 0.40 mm, 18.93 ± 1.25 mm, and 10.12 ± 1.08 mm, respectively. No significant differences were found between male and female dogs for all the measurements. A negative correlation was found between age and midbrain diameter, including MH (p < 0.001) and MW (p = 0.002). All brainstem diameters were correlated positively with BW (p < 0.05). No significant correlation was found between BCS and all brainstem diameters. Brainstem diameters differed significantly between breeds (p < 0.05), except for MW (p = 0.137). This study assessed linear measurements of the brainstem diameter in small-breed dogs. We suggest that these results could be useful in assessing abnormal conditions of the brainstem in small-breed dogs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jihyun Kim
- Department of Veterinary Medical Imaging, College of Veterinary Medicine, Jeonbuk National University, Iksan, Republic of Korea
| | - Danbee Kwon
- Bundang Leaders Animal Medical Center, Seongnam-si, Republic of Korea
| | - Sung-Soo Kim
- VIP Animal Medical Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Kichang Lee
- Department of Veterinary Medical Imaging, College of Veterinary Medicine, Jeonbuk National University, Iksan, Republic of Korea
| | - Hakyoung Yoon
- Department of Veterinary Medical Imaging, College of Veterinary Medicine, Jeonbuk National University, Iksan, Republic of Korea
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de Sousa AA, Rigby Dames BA, Graff EC, Mohamedelhassan R, Vassilopoulos T, Charvet CJ. Going beyond established model systems of Alzheimer's disease: companion animals provide novel insights into the neurobiology of aging. Commun Biol 2023; 6:655. [PMID: 37344566 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-05034-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2022] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/23/2023] Open
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.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra A de Sousa
- Centre for Health and Cognition, Bath Spa University, Bath, UK
- Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Bath, UK
| | - Brier A Rigby Dames
- Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Bath, UK
- Department of Computer Science, University of Bath, Bath, UK
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, Milner Centre for Evolution, University of Bath, Bath, UK
| | - Emily C Graff
- Department of Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA
| | - Rania Mohamedelhassan
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA
| | - Tatianna Vassilopoulos
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA
| | - Christine J Charvet
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA.
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7
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Mondino A, Catanzariti M, Mateos DM, Khan M, Ludwig C, Kis A, Gruen ME, Olby NJ. Sleep and cognition in aging dogs. A polysomnographic study. Front Vet Sci 2023; 10:1151266. [PMID: 37187924 PMCID: PMC10175583 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1151266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2023] [Accepted: 03/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Sleep is fundamental for cognitive homeostasis, especially in senior populations since clearance of amyloid beta (key in the pathophysiology of Alzheimer's disease) occurs during sleep. Some electroencephalographic characteristics of sleep and wakefulness have been considered a hallmark of dementia. Owners of dogs with canine cognitive dysfunction syndrome (a canine analog to Alzheimer's disease) report that their dogs suffer from difficulty sleeping. The aim of this study was to quantify age-related changes in the sleep-wakefulness cycle macrostructure and electroencephalographic features in senior dogs and to correlate them with their cognitive performance. Methods We performed polysomnographic recordings in 28 senior dogs during a 2 h afternoon nap. Percentage of time spent in wakefulness, drowsiness, NREM, and REM sleep, as well as latency to the three sleep states were calculated. Spectral power, coherence, and Lempel Ziv Complexity of the brain oscillations were estimated. Finally, cognitive performance was evaluated by means of the Canine Dementia Scale Questionnaire and a battery of cognitive tests. Correlations between age, cognitive performance and sleep-wakefulness cycle macrostructure and electroencephalographic features were calculated. Results Dogs with higher dementia scores and with worse performance in a problem-solving task spent less time in NREM and REM sleep. Additionally, quantitative electroencephalographic analyses showed differences in dogs associated with age or cognitive performance, some of them reflecting shallower sleep in more affected dogs. Discussion Polysomnographic recordings in dogs can detect sleep-wakefulness cycle changes associated with dementia. Further studies should evaluate polysomnography's potential clinical use to monitor the progression of canine cognitive dysfunction syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandra Mondino
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States
| | - Magaly Catanzariti
- Instituto de Matemática Aplicada del Litoral, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técninas, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Diego Martin Mateos
- Instituto de Matemática Aplicada del Litoral, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técninas, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Santa Fe, Argentina
- Physics Department, Universidad Autónoma de Entre Ríos (UADER), Oro Verde, Entre Ríos, Argentina
| | - Michael Khan
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States
| | - Claire Ludwig
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States
| | - Anna Kis
- Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Margaret E. Gruen
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States
| | - Natasha J. Olby
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States
- *Correspondence: Natasha J. Olby
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Hamamoto Y, Yu Y, Asada R, Mizuno S, Hasegawa D. Age-related brain atrophy in cats without apparent neurological and behavioral signs using voxel-based morphometry. Front Vet Sci 2022; 9:1071002. [PMID: 36504872 PMCID: PMC9729775 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2022.1071002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Brain atrophy is observed with aging and may cause cognitive decline or dysfunction. Aging cats may demonstrate behavioral changes related to cognitive dysfunction. In the clinical veterinary field, although the conventional region of interest method by manual or semiauto tracing on magnetic resonance imaging is used to detect atrophy of regional structures, such as the hippocampus, it is difficult to assess atrophy globally. Voxel-based morphometry (VBM) has been developed to detect global and regional abnormalities in humans. The purpose of the present study investigates whether the feline brain volume decreases with aging using VBM analysis. Materials A total of 65 cats, aged 17-200 months, without apparent neurological and behavioral signs were included in the statistical analysis. Results We observed that the gray matter in the bilateral parietal lobes was decreased significantly with aging. The regions that showed decreased volume included the right postcruciate, cingulate gyrus, rostral suprasylvian/ectosylvian gyri, and the left postcruciate gyrus. No significant reduction in white matter was observed. Together, our results show that age-related brain atrophy can be detected using VBM analysis. Discussion The age-related atrophy of the parietal cortex may not cause neurological and behavioral signs in cats. Therefore, veterinarians should consider age when assessing the relation between morphometric and functional abnormalities of the parietal cortex in cats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuji Hamamoto
- Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, Nippon Veterinary and Life Science University, Musashino, Japan,Laboratory of Veterinary Radiology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Nippon Veterinary and Life Science University, Musashino, Japan,The Research Center for Animal Life Science, Nippon Veterinary and Life Science University, Musashino, Japan,*Correspondence: Yuji Hamamoto
| | - Yoshihiko Yu
- Laboratory of Veterinary Radiology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Nippon Veterinary and Life Science University, Musashino, Japan
| | - Rikako Asada
- Laboratory of Veterinary Radiology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Nippon Veterinary and Life Science University, Musashino, Japan
| | - Satoshi Mizuno
- Laboratory of Veterinary Radiology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Nippon Veterinary and Life Science University, Musashino, Japan
| | - Daisuke Hasegawa
- Laboratory of Veterinary Radiology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Nippon Veterinary and Life Science University, Musashino, Japan,The Research Center for Animal Life Science, Nippon Veterinary and Life Science University, Musashino, Japan
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Valenzuela M, Duncan T, Abey A, Johnson A, Boulamatsis C, Dalton MA, Jacobson E, Brunel L, Child G, Simpson D, Buckland M, Lowe A, Siette J, Westbrook F, McGreevy P. Autologous skin-derived neural precursor cell therapy reverses canine Alzheimer dementia-like syndrome in a proof of concept veterinary trial. Stem Cell Res Ther 2022; 13:261. [PMID: 35715872 PMCID: PMC9205057 DOI: 10.1186/s13287-022-02933-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2022] [Accepted: 06/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Older companion dogs naturally develop a dementia-like syndrome with biological, clinical and therapeutic similarities to Alzheimer disease (AD). Given there has been no new safe, clinically effective and widely accessible treatment for AD for almost 20 years, an all-new cell therapeutic approach was trialled in canine veterinary patients, and further modelled in aged rats for more detailed neurobiological analysis. METHODS A Phase 1/2A veterinary trial was conducted in N = 6 older companion dogs with definitive diagnosis of Canine Cognitive Dysfunction (CCD). Treatment comprised direct microinjection of 250,000 autologous skin-derived neuroprecursors (SKNs) into the bilateral hippocampus using MRI-guided stereotaxis. Safety was assessed clinically and efficacy using the validated Canine Cognitive Dysfunction Rating Scale (CCDR) at baseline and 3-month post treatment. Intention to treat analysis imputed a single patient that had a surgical adverse event requiring euthanasia. Three dog brains were donated following natural death and histology carried out to quantify Alzheimer pathology as well as immature neurons and synapses; these were compared to a brain bank (N = 12) of untreated aged dogs with and without CCD. Further, an age-related memory dysfunction rat model (N = 16) was used to more closely evaluate intrahippocampal engraftment of canine SKN cells, focusing on mnemonic and synaptic effects as well as donor cell survival, neurodifferentation and electrophysiologic circuit integration in a live hippocampal slice preparation. RESULTS Four out-of-five dogs improved on the primary clinical CCDR endpoint, three fell below diagnostic threshold, and remarkably, two underwent full syndromal reversal lasting up to 2 years. At post mortem, synaptic density in the hippocampus specifically was nine standard deviations above non-treated dogs, and intensity of new neurons also several fold higher. There was no impact on AD pathology or long-term safety signals. Modelling in aged rats replicated the main canine trial findings: hippocampally-dependent place memory deficits were reversed and synaptic depletion rescued. In addition, this model confirmed donor cell survival and migration throughout the hippocampus, neuronal differentiation in situ, and physiologically-correct integration into pyramidal layer circuits. CONCLUSIONS With further development, SKN cell therapy may have potential for treating carefully chosen AD patients based on neurosynaptic restoration in the hippocampus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Valenzuela
- Skin2Neuron Pty Ltd, Sydney, Australia.
- University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
| | - T Duncan
- University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - A Abey
- University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - A Johnson
- Skin2Neuron Pty Ltd, Sydney, Australia
| | | | | | - E Jacobson
- Sydney Children's Hospital, Sydney, Australia
| | - L Brunel
- University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - G Child
- University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - D Simpson
- Animal Referral Hospital Homebush, Sydney, Australia
| | - M Buckland
- University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, Australia
| | - A Lowe
- University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - J Siette
- Western Sydney University, Sydney, Australia
| | - F Westbrook
- University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - P McGreevy
- University of New England, Armidale, Australia
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10
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Sándor S, Jónás D, Tátrai K, Czeibert K, Kubinyi E. Poly(A) RNA sequencing reveals age-related differences in the prefrontal cortex of dogs. GeroScience 2022; 44:1269-1293. [PMID: 35288843 PMCID: PMC9213612 DOI: 10.1007/s11357-022-00533-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2021] [Accepted: 02/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Dogs may possess a unique translational potential to investigate neural aging and dementia because they are prone to age-related cognitive decline, including an Alzheimer’s disease–like pathological condition. Yet very little is known about the molecular mechanisms underlying canine cognitive decline. The goal of the current study was to explore the transcriptomic differences between young and old dogs’ frontal cortex, which is a brain region often affected by various forms of age-related dementia in humans. RNA isolates from the frontal cortical brain area of 13 pet dogs, which represented 7 different breeds and crossbreds, were analyzed. The dogs were euthanized for medical reasons, and their bodies had been donated by their owners for scientific purposes. The poly(A) tail RNA subfraction of the total transcriptome was targeted in the sequencing analysis. Cluster analyses, differential gene expression analyses, and gene ontology analyses were carried out to assess which genes and genetic regulatory mechanisms were mostly affected by aging. Age was the most prominent factor in the clustering of the animals, indicating the presence of distinct gene expression patterns related to aging in a genetically variable population. A total of 3436 genes were found to be differentially expressed between the age groups, many of which were linked to neural function, immune system, and protein synthesis. These findings are in accordance with previous human brain aging RNA sequencing studies. Some genes were found to behave more similarly to humans than to rodents, further supporting the applicability of dogs in translational aging research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sára Sándor
- Department of Ethology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, 1/c Pázmány Péter sétány, Budapest, 1117, Hungary.
| | - Dávid Jónás
- Department of Ethology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, 1/c Pázmány Péter sétány, Budapest, 1117, Hungary
| | - Kitti Tátrai
- Department of Ethology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, 1/c Pázmány Péter sétány, Budapest, 1117, Hungary.,Department of Genetics, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, 1/c Pázmány Péter sétány, Budapest, 1117, Hungary
| | - Kálmán Czeibert
- Department of Ethology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, 1/c Pázmány Péter sétány, Budapest, 1117, Hungary
| | - Eniko Kubinyi
- Department of Ethology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, 1/c Pázmány Péter sétány, Budapest, 1117, Hungary
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11
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Fefer G, Panek WK, Khan MZ, Singer M, Westermeyer H, Mowat FM, Murdoch DM, Case B, Olby NJ, Gruen ME. Use of Cognitive Testing, Questionnaires, and Plasma Biomarkers to Quantify Cognitive Impairment in an Aging Pet Dog Population. J Alzheimers Dis 2022; 87:1367-1378. [PMID: 35431246 PMCID: PMC9177825 DOI: 10.3233/jad-215562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Aging dogs may suffer from canine cognitive dysfunction syndrome (CCDS), a condition in which cognitive decline is associated with amyloid pathology and cortical atrophy. Presumptive diagnosis is made through physical examination, exclusion of systemic/metabolic conditions, and completion of screening questionnaires by owners. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to determine whether cognitive function could be quantified in aging pet dogs, and to correlate cognitive testing with validated questionnaires and plasma neurofilament light chain (pNfL) concentration. METHODS Thirty-nine dogs from fifteen breeds were recruited (9.3 to 15.3 years). Owners completed the Canine Dementia Scale (CADES) and Canine Cognitive Dysfunction Rating scale (CCDR). Executive control and social cues were tested, and pNfL was measured with single molecule array assay. Comparisons were made between cognitive testing scores, CADES, CCDR scores, and pNfL. RESULTS CADES scoring classified five dogs as severe CCDS, six as moderate, ten as mild, and eighteen as normal. CCDR identified seven dogs at risk of CCDS and thirty-two as normal. Cognitive testing was possible in the majority of dogs, although severely affected dogs were unable to learn tasks. CADES score correlated with sustained attention duration (r = -0.47, p = 0.002), inhibitory control (r = -0.51, p = 0.002), detour (r = -0.43, p = 0.001), and pNfL (r = 0.41, p = 0.025). Concentration of pNfL correlated with inhibitory control (r = -0.7, p≤0.001). The CCDR scale correlated with performance on inhibitory control (r = -0.46, p = 0.005). CONCLUSION Our findings suggest that a multi-dimensional approach using a combination of questionnaires, specific cognitive tests, and pNfL concentration can be used to quantify cognitive decline in aging pet dogs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gilad Fefer
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, 27607, USA
| | - Wojciech K. Panek
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, 27607, USA
| | - Michael Z. Khan
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, 27607, USA
| | - Matthew Singer
- Department of Statistics, College of Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, 27695, USA
| | - Hans Westermeyer
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, 27607, USA
| | - Freya M. Mowat
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, 27607, USA,Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Wisconsin, 53706, USA
| | - David M. Murdoch
- Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, 27710, USA
| | - Beth Case
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, 27607, USA
| | - Natasha J. Olby
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, 27607, USA
| | - Margaret E. Gruen
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, 27607, USA,Correspondence: Corresponding Author, , 919-513-6500
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12
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Chandrasekaran A, Thomsen BB, Agerholm JS, Pessôa LVDF, Godoy Pieri NC, Sabaghidarmiyan V, Langley K, Kolko M, de Andrade AFC, Bressan FF, Hyttel P, Berendt M, Freude K. Neural Derivates of Canine Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells-Like Cells From a Mild Cognitive Impairment Dog. Front Vet Sci 2021; 8:725386. [PMID: 34805331 PMCID: PMC8600048 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2021.725386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2021] [Accepted: 10/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Domestic dogs are superior models for translational medicine due to greater anatomical and physiological similarities with humans than rodents, including hereditary diseases with human equivalents. Particularly with respect to neurodegenerative medicine, dogs can serve as a natural, more relevant model of human disease compared to transgenic rodents. Herein we report attempts to develop a canine-derived in vitro model for neurodegenerative diseases through the generation of induced pluripotent stem cells from a 14-year, 9-month-old female West Highland white terrier with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Canine induced pluripotent stem cells-like cells (ciPSCLC) were generated using human OSKM and characterized by positive expression of pluripotency markers. Due to inefficient viral vector silencing we refer to them as ciPSCLCs. Subsequently, the ciPSCLC were subjected to neural induction according to two protocols both yielding canine neural progenitor cells (cNPCs), which expressed typical NPC markers. The cNPCs were cultured in neuron differentiation media for 3 weeks, resulting in the derivation of morphologically impaired neurons as compared to iPSC-derived human counterparts generated in parallel. The apparent differences encountered in this study regarding the neural differentiation potential of ciPSCLC reveals challenges and new perspectives to consider before using the canine model in translational neurological studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abinaya Chandrasekaran
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Barbara Blicher Thomsen
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Jørgen Steen Agerholm
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Laís Vicari de Figueiredo Pessôa
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Animal Science and Food Engineering, University of São Paulo, Pirassununga, Brazil
| | - Naira Caroline Godoy Pieri
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Animal Science and Food Engineering, University of São Paulo, Pirassununga, Brazil
| | - Vahideh Sabaghidarmiyan
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Katarina Langley
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Miriam Kolko
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - André Furugen Cesar de Andrade
- Department of Animal Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo, Pirassununga, Brazil
| | - Fabiana Fernandes Bressan
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Animal Science and Food Engineering, University of São Paulo, Pirassununga, Brazil
| | - Poul Hyttel
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Mette Berendt
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Kristine Freude
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
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13
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Nutrients, Cognitive Function, and Brain Aging: What We Have Learned from Dogs. Med Sci (Basel) 2021; 9:medsci9040072. [PMID: 34842769 PMCID: PMC8628994 DOI: 10.3390/medsci9040072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2021] [Revised: 10/29/2021] [Accepted: 11/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Due to a difference in genetics, environmental factors, and nutrition, just like in people, dogs age at different rates. Brain aging in people and dogs share similar morphological changes including irreversible cortical atrophy, cerebral amyloid angiopathy, and ventricular enlargement. Due to severe and irreversible brain atrophy, some aging dogs develop cognitive dysfunction syndrome (CDS), which is equivalent to dementia or Alzheimer’s disease (AD) in people. The risk factors and causes of CDS in dogs have not been fully investigated, but age, gender, oxidative stress, and deficiency of sex hormones appears to be associated with increased risk of accelerated brain aging and CDS in dogs. Both AD and CDS are incurable diseases at this moment, therefore more efforts should be focused on preventing or reducing brain atrophy and minimizing the risk of AD in people and CDS in dogs. Since brain atrophy leads to irreversible cognitive decline and dementia, an optimal nutritional solution should be able to not only enhance cognitive function during aging but also reduce irreversible brain atrophy. Up to now, only one nutritional intervention has demonstrated both cognition-enhancing benefits and atrophy-reducing benefits.
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14
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Radhakrishnan H, Ubele MF, Krumholz SM, Boaz K, Mefford JL, Jones ED, Meacham B, Smiley J, Puskás LG, Powell DK, Norris CM, Stark CEL, Head E. Tacrolimus Protects against Age-Associated Microstructural Changes in the Beagle Brain. J Neurosci 2021; 41:5124-5133. [PMID: 33952632 PMCID: PMC8197636 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0361-21.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2021] [Revised: 04/09/2021] [Accepted: 04/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The overexpression of calcineurin leads to astrocyte hyperactivation, neuronal death, and inflammation, which are characteristics often associated with pathologic aging and Alzheimer's disease. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that tacrolimus, a calcineurin inhibitor, prevents age-associated microstructural atrophy, which we measured using higher-order diffusion MRI, in the middle-aged beagle brain (n = 30, male and female). We find that tacrolimus reduces hippocampal (p = 0.001) and parahippocampal (p = 0.002) neurite density index, as well as protects against an age-associated increase in the parahippocampal (p = 0.007) orientation dispersion index. Tacrolimus also protects against an age-related decrease in fractional anisotropy in the prefrontal cortex (p < 0.0001). We also show that these microstructural alterations precede cognitive decline and gross atrophy. These results support the idea that calcineurin inhibitors may have the potential to prevent aging-related pathology if administered at middle age.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Hyperactive calcineurin signaling causes neuroinflammation and other neurobiological changes often associated with pathologic aging and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Controlling the expression of calcineurin before gross cognitive deficits are observable might serve as a promising avenue for preventing AD pathology. In this study, we show that the administration of the calcineurin inhibitor, tacrolimus, over 1 year prevents age- and AD-associated microstructural changes in the hippocampus, parahippocampal cortex, and prefrontal cortex of the middle-aged beagle brain, with no noticeable adverse effects. Tacrolimus is already approved by the Food and Drug Administration for use in humans to prevent solid organ transplant rejection, and our results bolster the promise of this drug to prevent AD and aging-related pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hamsanandini Radhakrishnan
- Mathematical, Computational and Systems Biology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697
| | - Margo F Ubele
- Sanders Brown Center on Aging, Department of Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40506
| | - Stephanie M Krumholz
- Sanders Brown Center on Aging, Department of Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40506
| | - Kathy Boaz
- Sanders Brown Center on Aging, Department of Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40506
| | - Jennifer L Mefford
- Division of Laboratory Animal Resources, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40506
| | - Erin Denhart Jones
- Division of Laboratory Animal Resources, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40506
| | - Beverly Meacham
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Spectroscopy Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40506
| | - Jeffrey Smiley
- Division of Laboratory Animal Resources, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40506
| | | | - David K Powell
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Spectroscopy Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40506
| | - Christopher M Norris
- Sanders Brown Center on Aging, Department of Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40506
| | - Craig E L Stark
- Mathematical, Computational and Systems Biology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697
| | - Elizabeth Head
- Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697
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15
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Tynes VV, Landsberg GM. Nutritional Management of Behavior and Brain Disorders in Dogs and Cats. Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract 2021; 51:711-727. [PMID: 33773649 DOI: 10.1016/j.cvsm.2021.01.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
There are several natural products and functional ingredients that, either alone or in combination with other ingredients, have shown evidence for decreasing signs associated with cognitive dysfunction and anxiety in dogs and cats, and in management of seizures in dogs with epilepsy. The evidence supporting the role that a healthy gastrointestinal tract plays in behavior is also growing as more is learned about the gut-brain axis. Nutritional support may play an important role in therapy for certain brain disorders and behavioral problems, in conjunction with other aspects of management. A multimodal approach provides the greatest likelihood of success.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valarie V Tynes
- Ceva Animal Health, LLC 8735 Rosehill Road, Suite 300 Lenexa, KS 66215, USA.
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16
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Vikartovska Z, Farbakova J, Smolek T, Hanes J, Zilka N, Hornakova L, Humenik F, Maloveska M, Hudakova N, Cizkova D. Novel Diagnostic Tools for Identifying Cognitive Impairment in Dogs: Behavior, Biomarkers, and Pathology. Front Vet Sci 2021; 7:551895. [PMID: 33521072 PMCID: PMC7843503 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2020.551895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2020] [Accepted: 12/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Canine cognitive dysfunction syndrome (CCDS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder in senior dogs that is mainly associated with decreased ability to learn and respond to stimuli. It is commonly under-diagnosed because behavioral changes are often attributed to the natural process of aging. In the present study, we used for the first time a comprehensive approach enabling early diagnosis of canine patients with mild cognitive disorders (MiCI). We included CAnine DEmentia Scale (CADES) questionnaires, biochemical parameters, and biomarkers in blood serum, and correlated them with post-mortem histopathological changes. The CADES questionnaires enabled us to identify MiCI dogs developing changes mainly in domains corresponding to social interaction and spatial orientation, which seems to be crucial for delineating early cognitive disorders. Biochemical analyses in these dogs showed slightly elevated liver enzyme parameters (AST and ALT) and significantly decreased sodium and chloride levels in blood serum. Furthermore, we describe for the first time a significant increase of neurofilament light chain (NFL) in blood serum of MiCI dogs, compared to normal aging seniors and young controls, but no changes in TAU protein and amyloid-β (Aβ42) peptide levels. In canine brains with cognitive impairment, amyloid plaques of mainly diffuse and dense types were detected. Furthermore, activated microglia with amoeboid body and dystrophic processes occurred, in some cases with spheroidal and bulbous swellings. On the other hand, no TAU pathology or neurofibrillary tangles were detected. These results suggest that a combination of CADES questionnaire mainly with CNS injury biomarker (NFL) and with biochemical parameters (ALT, AST, Na, and Cl) in blood serum may predict CCDS in senior dogs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zuzana Vikartovska
- Center for Experimental and Clinical Regenerative Medicine, University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy in Košice, Košice, Slovakia
| | - Jana Farbakova
- Center for Experimental and Clinical Regenerative Medicine, University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy in Košice, Košice, Slovakia
| | - Tomas Smolek
- Institute of Neuroimmunology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia.,Neuroimunology Institute, n.p.o., Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Jozef Hanes
- Institute of Neuroimmunology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Norbert Zilka
- Institute of Neuroimmunology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Lubica Hornakova
- Center for Experimental and Clinical Regenerative Medicine, University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy in Košice, Košice, Slovakia
| | - Filip Humenik
- Center for Experimental and Clinical Regenerative Medicine, University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy in Košice, Košice, Slovakia
| | - Marcela Maloveska
- Center for Experimental and Clinical Regenerative Medicine, University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy in Košice, Košice, Slovakia
| | - Nikola Hudakova
- Center for Experimental and Clinical Regenerative Medicine, University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy in Košice, Košice, Slovakia
| | - Dasa Cizkova
- Center for Experimental and Clinical Regenerative Medicine, University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy in Košice, Košice, Slovakia.,Institute of Neuroimmunology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
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17
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Vitek MP, Araujo JA, Fossel M, Greenberg BD, Howell GR, Rizzo SJS, Seyfried NT, Tenner AJ, Territo PR, Windisch M, Bain LJ, Ross A, Carrillo MC, Lamb BT, Edelmayer RM. Translational animal models for Alzheimer's disease: An Alzheimer's Association Business Consortium Think Tank. ALZHEIMER'S & DEMENTIA (NEW YORK, N. Y.) 2021; 6:e12114. [PMID: 33457489 PMCID: PMC7798310 DOI: 10.1002/trc2.12114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2020] [Revised: 07/04/2020] [Accepted: 07/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Over 5 million Americans and 50 million individuals worldwide are living with Alzheimer's disease (AD). The progressive dementia associated with AD currently has no cure. Although clinical trials in patients are ultimately required to find safe and effective drugs, animal models of AD permit the integration of brain pathologies with learning and memory deficits that are the first step in developing these new drugs. The purpose of the Alzheimer's Association Business Consortium Think Tank meeting was to address the unmet need to improve the discovery and successful development of Alzheimer's therapies. We hypothesize that positive responses to new therapies observed in validated models of AD will provide predictive evidence for positive responses to these same therapies in AD patients. To achieve this goal, we convened a meeting of experts to explore the current state of AD animal models, identify knowledge gaps, and recommend actions for development of next-generation models with better predictability. Among our findings, we all recognize that models reflecting only single aspects of AD pathogenesis do not mimic AD. Models or combinations of new models are needed that incorporate genetics with environmental interactions, timing of disease development, heterogeneous mechanisms and pathways, comorbidities, and other pathologies that lead to AD and related dementias. Selection of the best models requires us to address the following: (1) which animal species, strains, and genetic backgrounds are most appropriate; (2) which models permit efficient use throughout the drug development pipeline; (3) the translatability of behavioral-cognitive assays from animals to patients; and (4) how to match potential AD therapeutics with particular models. Best practice guidelines to improve reproducibility also need to be developed for consistent use of these models in different research settings. To enhance translational predictability, we discuss a multi-model evaluation strategy to de-risk the successful transition of pre-clinical drug assets to the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Nicholas T. Seyfried
- Departments of Biochemistry and NeurologyEmory School of MedicineAtlantaGeorgiaUSA
| | - Andrea J. Tenner
- Department of Molecular Biology and BiochemistryUniversity of CaliforniaIrvineCaliforniaUSA
| | | | | | - Lisa J. Bain
- Independent Science and Medical WriterElversonPennsylvaniaUSA
| | - April Ross
- Former Alzheimer's Association EmployeeChicagoIllinoisUSA
| | | | - Bruce T. Lamb
- Indiana University School of MedicineStark Neurosciences Research InstituteIndianapolisIndianaUSA
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18
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Dewey CW, Rishniw M, Johnson PJ, Platt S, Robinson K, Sackman J, O'Donnell M. Canine cognitive dysfunction patients have reduced total hippocampal volume compared with aging control dogs: A comparative magnetic resonance imaging study. Open Vet J 2020; 10:438-442. [PMID: 33614439 PMCID: PMC7830179 DOI: 10.4314/ovj.v10i4.11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2020] [Accepted: 10/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Hippocampal atrophy is a key pathologic and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) feature of human Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Hippocampal atrophy has not been documented via MRI in canine cognitive dysfunction (CCD), which is considered as the dog model of human AD. Aim: The purpose of this retrospective comparative volumetric MRI study was to compare total hippocampal volumes between successfully aging (control) dogs and dogs diagnosed with CCD. Methods: Mimics® software was used to derive total hippocampal volumes and total brain volumes from the MRI studies of 42 aging dogs (≥ 9 years): 16 dogs diagnosed with CCD and 26 successfully aging controls. Hippocampal volumes were normalized to total brain volume and these values were compared between groups using Mann–Whitney U tests. Results: Total hippocampal volume normalized to total brain volume was significantly less for CCD patients compared with control dogs (p = 0.04). Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that – similar to human AD – hippocampal atrophy is a pathological feature of CCD. This finding has potential importance for both investigating disease mechanisms related to dementia as well as future hippocampal-targeted therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Curtis Wells Dewey
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA.,Department of Surgery, Long Island Veterinary Specialists, Plainview, NY, USA.,Rochester Veterinary Specialists and Emergency Services, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Mark Rishniw
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Philippa J Johnson
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Simon Platt
- Department of Small Animal Medicine and Surgery, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Kelsey Robinson
- Department of Small Animal Medicine and Surgery, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Joseph Sackman
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA.,Department of Surgery, Long Island Veterinary Specialists, Plainview, NY, USA.,Rochester Veterinary Specialists and Emergency Services, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.,Department of Small Animal Medicine and Surgery, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Marissa O'Donnell
- Department of Surgery, Long Island Veterinary Specialists, Plainview, NY, USA
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19
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Van Bourg J, Gilchrist R, Wynne CDL. Adaptive spatial working memory assessments for aging pet dogs. Anim Cogn 2020; 24:511-531. [PMID: 33185769 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-020-01447-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2020] [Revised: 10/27/2020] [Accepted: 10/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Assessments for spatial working memory (SWM) in pet dogs that can detect age-related cognitive deficits in a single session may aid in diagnosing canine dementia and may facilitate translational research on Alzheimer's disease in humans. Adaptive testing procedures are widely used in single-session assessments for humans with diverse cognitive abilities. In this study, we designed and deployed two up-down staircase assessments for SWM in which 26 pet dogs were required to recall the location of a treat hidden behind one of two identical boxes following delays of variable length. In the first experiment, performance tended to decline with age but few dogs completed the test (n = 10). However, all of the dogs that participated in the second experiment (n = 24) completed the assessment and provided reliable evidence of learning and retaining the task. Delay length and age significantly predicted performance supporting the validity of this assessment. The relationships between age and performance were described by inverted U-shaped functions as both old and young dogs displayed deficits in weighted cumulative-scores and trial-by-trial performance. Thus, SWM in pet dogs may develop until midlife and decline thereafter. Exploratory analyses of non-mnemonic fixation strategies, sustained engagement, inhibitory control, and potential improvements for future SWM assessments which adopt this paradigm are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua Van Bourg
- Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA.
| | - Rachel Gilchrist
- Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
| | - Clive D L Wynne
- Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
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20
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Gunde E, Czeibert K, Gábor A, Szabó D, Kis A, Arany-Tóth A, Andics A, Gácsi M, Kubinyi E. Longitudinal Volumetric Assessment of Ventricular Enlargement in Pet Dogs Trained for Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) Studies. Vet Sci 2020; 7:vetsci7030127. [PMID: 32899680 PMCID: PMC7558420 DOI: 10.3390/vetsci7030127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2020] [Revised: 08/28/2020] [Accepted: 09/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Recent studies suggest that clinically sound ventriculomegaly in dogs could be a preliminary form of the clinically significant hydrocephalus. We evaluated changes of ventricular volumes in awake functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) trained dogs with indirectly assessed cognitive abilities over time (thus avoiding the use of anaesthetics, which can alter the pressure). Our research question was whether ventricular enlargement developing over time would have any detrimental effect on staying still while being scanned; which can be extrapolated to the ability to pay attention and to exert inhibition. Methods: Seven healthy dogs, 2–8 years old at the baseline scan and 4 years older at rescan, participated in a rigorous and gradual training for staying motionless (<2 mm) in the magnetic resonance (MR) scanner without any sedation during 6 minute-long structural MR sequences. On T1 structural images, volumetric analyses of the lateral ventricles were completed by software guided semi-automated tissue-type segmentations performed with FMRIB Software Library (FSL, Analysis Group, Oxford, UK). Results and conclusion: We report significant enlargement for both ventricles (left: 47.46 %, right: 46.07 %) over time while dogs retained high levels of attention and inhibition. The results suggest that even considerable ventricular enlargement arising during normal aging does not necessarily reflect observable pathological changes in behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Gunde
- Department and Clinic of Surgery and Ophthalmology, University of Veterinary Medicine, 1078 Budapest, Hungary; (E.G.); (A.A.-T.)
| | - Kálmán Czeibert
- Department of Ethology, Institute of Biology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, 1117 Budapest, Hungary; (A.G.); (D.S.); (A.A.); (M.G.); (E.K.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Anna Gábor
- Department of Ethology, Institute of Biology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, 1117 Budapest, Hungary; (A.G.); (D.S.); (A.A.); (M.G.); (E.K.)
- MTA-ELTE (Hungarian Academy of Sciences–Eötvös Loránd University) ‘Lendūlet Neuroethology of Communication Research Group, 1117 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Dóra Szabó
- Department of Ethology, Institute of Biology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, 1117 Budapest, Hungary; (A.G.); (D.S.); (A.A.); (M.G.); (E.K.)
| | - Anna Kis
- Psychobiology Research Group, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, 1117 Budapest, Hungary;
| | - Attila Arany-Tóth
- Department and Clinic of Surgery and Ophthalmology, University of Veterinary Medicine, 1078 Budapest, Hungary; (E.G.); (A.A.-T.)
| | - Attila Andics
- Department of Ethology, Institute of Biology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, 1117 Budapest, Hungary; (A.G.); (D.S.); (A.A.); (M.G.); (E.K.)
- MTA-ELTE (Hungarian Academy of Sciences–Eötvös Loránd University) ‘Lendūlet Neuroethology of Communication Research Group, 1117 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Márta Gácsi
- Department of Ethology, Institute of Biology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, 1117 Budapest, Hungary; (A.G.); (D.S.); (A.A.); (M.G.); (E.K.)
- MTA-ELTE Comparative Ethology Research Group, 1117 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Enikő Kubinyi
- Department of Ethology, Institute of Biology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, 1117 Budapest, Hungary; (A.G.); (D.S.); (A.A.); (M.G.); (E.K.)
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Liu X, Tian R, Zuo Z, Zhao H, Wu L, Zhuo Y, Zhang YQ, Chen L. A high-resolution MRI brain template for adult Beagle. Magn Reson Imaging 2020; 68:148-157. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mri.2020.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2019] [Revised: 01/08/2020] [Accepted: 01/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Zeiss CJ. Utility of spontaneous animal models of Alzheimer’s disease in preclinical efficacy studies. Cell Tissue Res 2020; 380:273-286. [DOI: 10.1007/s00441-020-03198-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2019] [Accepted: 03/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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Yun T, Lee W, Kang JH, Yang MP, Kang BT. Temporal and anatomical distribution of 18F-flutemetamol uptake in canine brain using positron emission tomography. BMC Vet Res 2020; 16:17. [PMID: 31952531 PMCID: PMC6969467 DOI: 10.1186/s12917-020-2240-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2019] [Accepted: 01/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Positron emission tomography (PET) is increasingly being used as an imaging modality for clinical and research applications in veterinary medicine. Amyloid PET has become a useful tool for diagnosing Alzheimer's disease (AD) in humans, by accurately identifying amyloid-beta (Aβ) plaques. Cognitive dysfunction syndrome in dogs shows cognitive and pathophysiologic characteristics similar to AD. Therefore, we assessed the physiologic characteristics of uptake of 18F-flutemetamol, an Aβ protein-binding PET tracer in clinical development, in normal dog brains, for distinguishing an abnormal state. Static and dynamic PET images of six adult healthy dogs were acquired after 18F-flutemetamol was administered intravenously at approximately 3.083 MBq/kg. For static images, PET data were acquired at 30, 60, and 90 min after injection. One week later, dynamic images were acquired for 120 min, from the time of tracer injection. PET data were reconstructed using an iterative technique, and corrections for attenuation and scatter were applied. Regions of interest were manually drawn over the frontal, parietal, temporal, occipital, anterior cingulate, posterior cingulate, and cerebellar cortices, cerebral white matter, midbrain, pons, and medulla oblongata. After calculating standardized uptake values with an established formula, standardized uptake value ratios (SUVRs) were obtained, using the cerebellar cortex as a reference region. RESULTS Among the six cerebral cortical regions, the cingulate cortices and frontal lobe showed the highest SUVRs. The lowest SUVR was observed in the occipital lobe. The average values of the cortical SUVRs were 1.25, 1.26, and 1.27 at 30, 60, and 90 min post-injection, respectively. Tracer uptake on dynamic scans was rapid, peaking within 4 min post-injection. After reaching this early maximum, cerebral cortical regions showed a curve with a steep descent, whereas cerebral white matter demonstrated a curve with a slow decline, resulting in a large gap between cerebral cortical regions and white matter. CONCLUSION This study provides normal baseline data of 18F-flutemetamol PET that can facilitate an objective diagnosis of cognitive dysfunction syndrome in dogs in future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taesik Yun
- Veterinary Teaching Hospital, College of Veterinary Medicine, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, Chungbuk 28644 South Korea
| | - Wonguk Lee
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Chungbuk National University Hospital, Cheongju, Chungbuk 28644 South Korea
| | - Ji-Houn Kang
- Veterinary Teaching Hospital, College of Veterinary Medicine, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, Chungbuk 28644 South Korea
| | - Mhan-Pyo Yang
- Veterinary Teaching Hospital, College of Veterinary Medicine, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, Chungbuk 28644 South Korea
| | - Byeong-Teck Kang
- Veterinary Teaching Hospital, College of Veterinary Medicine, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, Chungbuk 28644 South Korea
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Smit I, Szabo D, Kubinyi E. Age-related positivity effect on behavioural responses of dogs to human vocalisations. Sci Rep 2019; 9:20201. [PMID: 31882873 PMCID: PMC6934484 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-56636-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2019] [Accepted: 11/25/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Age-related changes in the brain can alter how emotions are processed. In humans, valence specific changes in attention and memory were reported with increasing age, i.e. older people are less attentive toward and experience fewer negative emotions, while processing of positive emotions remains intact. Little is yet known about this "positivity effect" in non-human animals. We tested young (n = 21, 1-5 years) and old (n = 19, >10 years) family dogs with positive (laugh), negative (cry), and neutral (hiccup, cough) human vocalisations and investigated age-related differences in their behavioural reactions. Only dogs with intact hearing were analysed and the selected sound samples were balanced regarding mean and fundamental frequencies between valence categories. Compared to young dogs, old individuals reacted slower only to the negative sounds and there was no significant difference in the duration of the reactions between groups. The selective response of the aged dogs to the sound stimuli suggests that the results cannot be explained by general cognitive and/or perceptual decline. and supports the presence of an age-related positivity effect in dogs, too. Similarities in emotional processing between humans and dogs may imply analogous changes in subcortical emotional processing in the canine brain during ageing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iris Smit
- Department of Ethology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, 1117, Hungary.
- HAS University of Applied Sciences, 's-Hertogenbosch, 5223DE, The Netherlands.
| | - Dora Szabo
- Department of Ethology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, 1117, Hungary
| | - Enikő Kubinyi
- Department of Ethology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, 1117, Hungary
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Benedetti R, Marchegiani A, Tambella AM, Fruganti A, Serri E, Malfatti A, Spaterna A. Effects of chronic supplementation of homotaurine on cognitive processes and spatial cognition in aged dogs: Preliminary results. J Vet Behav 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jveb.2019.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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Network analysis of canine brain morphometry links tumour risk to oestrogen deficiency and accelerated brain ageing. Sci Rep 2019; 9:12506. [PMID: 31467332 PMCID: PMC6715702 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-48446-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2019] [Accepted: 08/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Structural ‘brain age’ is a valuable but complex biomarker for several brain disorders. The dog is an unrivalled comparator for neurological disease modeling, however canine brain morphometric diversity creates computational and statistical challenges. Using a data-driven approach, we explored complex interactions between patient metadata, brain morphometry, and neurological disease. Twenty-four morphometric parameters measured from 286 canine brain magnetic resonance imaging scans were combined with clinical parameters to generate 9,438 data points. Network analysis was used to cluster patients according to their brain morphometry profiles. An ‘aged-brain’ profile, defined by a small brain width and volume combined with ventriculomegaly, was revealed in the Boxer breed. Key features of this profile were paralleled in neutered female dogs which, relative to un-neutered females, had an 11-fold greater risk of developing brain tumours. Boxer dog and geriatric dog groups were both enriched for brain tumour diagnoses, despite a lack of geriatric Boxers within the cohort. Our findings suggest that advanced brain ageing enhances brain tumour risk in dogs and may be influenced by oestrogen deficiency—a risk factor for dementia and brain tumours in humans. Morphometric features of brain ageing in dogs, like humans, might better predict neurological disease risk than patient chronological age.
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Gardini A, Taeymans O, Cherubini GB, de Stefani A, Targett M, Vettorato E. Linear magnetic resonance imaging measurements of the hippocampal formation differ in young versus old dogs. Vet Rec 2019; 185:306. [PMID: 31308154 PMCID: PMC6817983 DOI: 10.1136/vr.105243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2018] [Revised: 06/11/2019] [Accepted: 06/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Age-related hippocampal formation (HF) atrophy has been documented on MRI studies using volumetric analysis and visual rating scales. This retrospective cross-sectional study aimed to compare linear MRI measurements of the HF between young (1–3 years) and old (>10 years) non-brachycephalic dogs, with normal brain anatomy and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis. Right and left hippocampal formation height (HFH), height of the brain (HB) and mean HFH/HB ratio were measured by two observers on a transverse T2 fluid-attenuated inversion recovery sequence containing rostral colliculi and mesencephalic aqueduct.119 MRI studies were enrolled: 75 young and 44 old dogs. Left and right HFH were greater (p<0.0001) in young, while HB was greater in old dogs (p=0.024). Mean HFH/HB ratio was 15.66 per cent and 18.30 per cent in old and young dogs (p<0.0001). No differences were found comparing measurements between epileptic and non-epileptic dogs. Old dogs have a greater HB; this may represent the different study populations or a statistical phenomenon. Ageing affects HF linear measurements. A reduction of mean HFH/HB ratio between 18.30 per cent and 15.66 per cent should be considered a physiological age-related process of the canine lifespan. The use of mean HFH/HB ratio could be considered for quantifying brain atrophy in elderly dogs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Gardini
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Dick White Referrals, Six Mile Bottom, UK
| | - Olivier Taeymans
- Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Dick White Referrals, Six Mile Bottom, UK
| | | | - Alberta de Stefani
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Royal Veterinary College, London, UK
| | - Mike Targett
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, University of Nottingham, Loughborough, UK
| | - Enzo Vettorato
- Department of Anaesthesia and Analgesia, Dick White Referrals, Six Mile Bottom, UK
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Pero ME, Cortese L, Mastellone V, Tudisco R, Musco N, Scandurra A, D'Aniello B, Vassalotti G, Bartolini F, Lombardi P. Effects of a Nutritional Supplement on Cognitive Function in Aged Dogs and on Synaptic Function of Primary Cultured Neurons. Animals (Basel) 2019; 9:ani9070393. [PMID: 31252640 PMCID: PMC6680659 DOI: 10.3390/ani9070393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2019] [Revised: 06/10/2019] [Accepted: 06/25/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary We tested the effects of a nutraceutical product, DiSeniorTM, by spatial navigation test and by in vitro and in vivo experiments. Results showed that DiSeniorTM was safe and able to ameliorate cognitive functions in aged dogs, as demonstrated by the better performances in the treated with respect the untreated groups. The increase of cFOS, a functional marker of activity in cultured neurons, indicated a positive effect of the substance on neuronal functions. The study suggests that DiSeniorTM can improve the quality of life of elderly dogs and may slow the onset of cognitive dysfunction symptoms associated with aging. Abstract The objective of this research was to investigate the efficacy of DìSeniorTM, a nutraceutical formulated to improve cognitive functions in elderly dogs. To this purpose, some clinical and metabolic investigations and a spatial navigation test were performed in treated and untreated dogs. Moreover, the nutraceutical was also tested on primary hippocampal neuron cultures. Results showed no adverse effects on the dogs’ health and a positive effect on learning. In vitro effects on neuron cultures showed an increase in the level of cFOS in treated neurons compared with the vehicle, suggesting that DiSeniorTM has also a positive effect on neuronal functions. Overall, this study suggests that DiSeniorTM can exert a beneficial effect on aged dogs by preventing the negative effects of aging on cognition. Further studies are needed to assess the mechanisms by which it acts on neurons and the specific effect of the different components alone or combined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Elena Pero
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Productions, University of Naples Federico II, Via Delpino 1, 80137 Naples, Italy
- Department of Pathology, Anatomy and Cell Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Laura Cortese
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Productions, University of Naples Federico II, Via Delpino 1, 80137 Naples, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Mastellone
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Productions, University of Naples Federico II, Via Delpino 1, 80137 Naples, Italy
| | - Raffaella Tudisco
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Productions, University of Naples Federico II, Via Delpino 1, 80137 Naples, Italy
| | - Nadia Musco
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Productions, University of Naples Federico II, Via Delpino 1, 80137 Naples, Italy
| | - Anna Scandurra
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cinthia 21, 80126 Naples, Italy.
| | - Biagio D'Aniello
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cinthia 21, 80126 Naples, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Vassalotti
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Productions, University of Naples Federico II, Via Delpino 1, 80137 Naples, Italy
| | - Francesca Bartolini
- Department of Pathology, Anatomy and Cell Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Pietro Lombardi
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Productions, University of Naples Federico II, Via Delpino 1, 80137 Naples, Italy
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Prpar Mihevc S, Majdič G. Canine Cognitive Dysfunction and Alzheimer's Disease - Two Facets of the Same Disease? Front Neurosci 2019; 13:604. [PMID: 31249505 PMCID: PMC6582309 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2019.00604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2019] [Accepted: 05/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases present a major and increasing burden in the societies worldwide. With aging populations, the prevalence of neurodegenerative diseases is increasing, yet there are no effective cures and very few treatment options are available. Alzheimer’s disease is one of the most prevalent neurodegenerative conditions and although the pathology is well studied, the pathogenesis of this debilitating illness is still poorly understood. This is, among other reasons, also due to the lack of good animal models as laboratory rodents do not develop spontaneous neurodegenerative diseases and human Alzheimer’s disease is only partially mimicked by transgenic rodent models. On the other hand, older dogs commonly develop canine cognitive dysfunction, a disease that is similar to Alzheimer’s disease in many aspects. Dogs show cognitive deficits that could be paralleled to human symptoms such as disorientation, memory loss, changes in behavior, and in their brains, beta amyloid plaques are commonly detected both in extracellular space as senile plaques and around the blood vessels. Dogs could be therefore potentially a very good model for studying pathological process and novel treatment options for Alzheimer’s disease. In the present article, we will review the current knowledge about the pathogenesis of canine cognitive dysfunction, its similarities and dissimilarities with Alzheimer’s disease, and developments of novel treatments for these two diseases with a focus on canine cognitive dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonja Prpar Mihevc
- Veterinary Faculty, Institute for Preclinical Sciences, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Gregor Majdič
- Veterinary Faculty, Institute for Preclinical Sciences, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia.,Medical Faculty, Institute for Physiology, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
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Effect of age on discrimination learning, reversal learning, and cognitive bias in family dogs. Learn Behav 2019; 46:537-553. [PMID: 30251103 DOI: 10.3758/s13420-018-0357-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Several studies on age-related cognitive decline in dogs involve laboratory dogs and prolonged training. We developed two spatial tasks that required a single 1-h session. We tested 107 medium-large sized dogs: "young" (N=41, aged 2.5-6.5 years) and "old" (N=66, aged 8-14.5 years). Our results indicated that, in a discrimination learning task and in a reversal learning task, young dogs learned significantly faster than the old dogs, indicating that these two tasks could successfully be used to investigate differences in spatial learning between young and old dogs. We also provide two novel findings. First, in the reversal learning, the dogs trained based on the location of stimuli learned faster than the dogs trained based on stimulus characteristics. Most old dogs did not learn the task within our cut-off of 50 trials. Training based on an object's location is therefore more appropriate for reversal learning tasks. Second, the contrast between the response to the positive and negative stimuli was narrower in old dogs, compared to young dogs, during the reversal learning task, as well as the cognitive bias test. This measure favors comparability between tasks and between studies. Following the cognitive bias test, we could not find any indication of differences in the positive and negative expectations between young and old dogs. Taken together, these findings do not support the hypothesis that old dogs have more negative expectations than young dogs and the use of the cognitive bias test in older dogs requires further investigation.
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31
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Cortical motor threshold determination in dogs. Res Vet Sci 2019; 124:248-255. [PMID: 30953941 DOI: 10.1016/j.rvsc.2019.03.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2018] [Revised: 03/26/2019] [Accepted: 03/29/2019] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
In humans, determining the cortical motor threshold (CMT) is a critical step in successfully applying a transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) treatment. Stimulus intensity, safety and efficacy of a TMS treatment are dependent of the correct assessment of the CMT. Given that TMS in dogs could serve as a natural animal model, an accurate and reliable technique for the measurement of the CMT should be available for dogs. Using a visual descending staircase paradigm (Rossini paradigm), the CMT repeatability was assessed and compared to the electromyographic (EMG) variant. The influence of a HF-rTMS treatment on the CMT was examined. Subsequently, the CMT was measured under sedation and general anaesthesia. Finally, the coil-cortex distance was associated with the CMT, weight, age and gender. During one year the CMT was measured three times, during which it remained constant, although a higher CMT was measured (40% higher machine output) when using EMG (P-value < .001) and under general anaesthesia (P-value = .005). On average, a 40% and 12% higher machine output were registered. An aHF-rTMS protocol does not influence the CMT. Males have on average a 5.2 mm larger coil cortex distance and an 11.81% higher CMT. The CMT was positively linearly associated (P-value < .05) with the weight and age of the animals. Only within female subjects, a positive linear association was found between the CMT and the coil-cortex distance (P-value = .02). Using the visual Rossini paradigm, the CMT can be reliably used over time and during a TMS treatment. It has to be kept in mind that when using EMG or assessing the CMT under general anaesthesia, a higher CMT is to be expected. As in humans, every parameter that influences the coil-cortex distance may also influence the CMT.
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Dewey CW, Davies ES, Xie H, Wakshlag JJ. Canine Cognitive Dysfunction: Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, and Treatment. Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract 2019; 49:477-499. [PMID: 30846383 DOI: 10.1016/j.cvsm.2019.01.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Canine cognitive dysfunction (CCD) is the canine analog of human Alzheimer disease (AD). The pathophysiology of CCD/AD is multifaceted. CCD is common in aged (>8 years) dogs, affecting between 14% and 35% of the pet dog population. Apparent confusion, anxiety, disturbance of the sleep/wake cycle, and decreased interaction with owners are all common clinical signs of CCD. Although there is no cure for CCD, several proven effective therapeutic approaches are available for improving cognitive ability and maintaining a good quality of life; instituting such therapies early in the disease course is likely to have the greatest positive clinical effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Curtis Wells Dewey
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, C4 169 Clinical Programs Center, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
| | - Emma S Davies
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, C4 169 Clinical Programs Center, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Huisheng Xie
- Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA; Department of Comparative, Diagnostic and Population Medicine, 9700 Highway 318 West, Reddick, FL 32686, USA
| | - Joseph J Wakshlag
- Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA; Department of Comparative, Diagnostic and Population Medicine
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Aging, neurocognitive reserve, and the healthy brain. PSYCHOLOGY OF LEARNING AND MOTIVATION 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.plm.2019.07.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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Krug F, Tillmann M, Piñeiro M, Mendes C, Capella S, Bruhn F, Nobre M. Avaliação diagnóstica na síndrome disfunção cognitiva canina. ARQ BRAS MED VET ZOO 2018. [DOI: 10.1590/1678-4162-10184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
RESUMO O objetivo do presente estudo foi avaliar o questionário observacional e os testes de reatividade como forma de triagem e diagnóstico da disfunção cognitiva em cães idosos. Foram estudados 10 cães acima de sete anos, que apresentavam queixas comportamentais. Foi utilizado questionário que abordava questões comportamentais, como desorientação, atividade, interação socioambiental, alterações no padrão do sono e casa-sujidade. As respostas foram convertidas em pontuações, cujo somatório classificou o cão com disfunção cognitiva canina (DCC), ou borderline (BL), ou sem alterações comportamentais (SAC). Logo depois, foram realizados, em todos os cães, os seguintes testes cognitivos: open field, curiosidade, interação com humano e com espelho. Pela avaliação do questionário, foi determinado que dois cães tinham DCC, três eram BL, cinco eram SAC. Os cães classificados com DCC tinham idade superior aos demais e apresentaram alterações em todos os testes de reatividade, enquanto os cães BL apresentaram alterações em dois testes de reatividade e os SAC não apresentaram alterações. Conclui-se que, com o aumento da expectativa de vida canina, o questionário observacional foi um instrumento de triagem para a identificação dos cães classificados com DCC, BL e SAC, e os testes de reatividade como um método inovador para identificar o verdadeiro estado cognitivo dos pacientes idosos.
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Influence of Stainless Needle Electrodes and Silver Disk Electrodes over the Interhemispheric Cerebral Coherence Value in Vigil Dogs. SENSORS 2018; 18:s18113990. [PMID: 30453513 PMCID: PMC6264086 DOI: 10.3390/s18113990] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2018] [Revised: 11/12/2018] [Accepted: 11/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Electroencephalography (EEG) is an objective diagnostic tool in the evaluation of cerebral functionality, both in human and veterinary medicine. For EEG acquisition, different types of electrodes are used, as long as they have no impact on the recorded background activity. However, to date, the influence of electrode type on quantitative EEG and cerebral coherence has not been investigated. Twenty EEG traces (ten with needle electrodes and ten with disk electrodes) were recorded from ten mesocephalic vigil dogs in a monopolar montage. Values for interhemispheric coherence for each frequency band were compared between stainless needle and silver disk electrodes traces. Our results show that the values of interhemispheric coherence in vigil dogs are depending of the type of electrodes used in EEG recordings. In the frontal (FP) channel, for delta and theta frequency bands, the registered coherence is significantly higher when stainless needle electrodes are used. Our results might have important consequences in the field of canine neurology and applied neuroscience, as the frontal channel analysis is preferred in aging and behavior studies.
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Borghys H, Van Broeck B, Dhuyvetter D, Jacobs T, de Waepenaert K, Erkens T, Brooks M, Thevarkunnel S, Araujo JA. Young to Middle-Aged Dogs with High Amyloid-β Levels in Cerebrospinal Fluid are Impaired on Learning in Standard Cognition tests. J Alzheimers Dis 2018; 56:763-774. [PMID: 28035921 PMCID: PMC5271428 DOI: 10.3233/jad-160434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Understanding differences in Alzheimer’s disease biomarkers before the pathology becomes evident can contribute to an improved understanding of disease pathogenesis and treatment. A decrease in amyloid-β (Aβ)42 in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is suggested to be a biomarker for Aβ deposition in brain. However, the relevance of CSF Aβ levels prior to deposition is not entirely known. Dogs are similar to man with respect to amyloid-β protein precursor (AβPP)-processing, age-related amyloid plaque deposition, and cognitive dysfunction. In the current study, we evaluated the relation between CSF Aβ42 levels and cognitive performance in young to middle-aged dogs (1.5–7 years old). Additionally, CSF sAβPPα and sAβPPβ were measured to evaluate AβPP processing, and CSF cytokines were measured to determine the immune status of the brain. We identified two groups of dogs showing consistently low or high CSF Aβ42 levels. Based on prior studies, it was assumed that at this age no cerebral amyloid plaques were likely to be present. The cognitive performance was evaluated in standard cognition tests. Low or high Aβ concentrations coincided with low or high sAβPPα, sAβPPβ, and CXCL-1 levels, respectively. Dogs with high Aβ concentrations showed significant learning impairments on delayed non-match to position (DNMP), object discrimination, and reversal learning compared to dogs with low Aβ concentrations. Our data support the hypothesis that high levels of CSF Aβ in dogs coincide with lower cognitive performance prior to amyloid deposition. Further experiments are needed to investigate this link, as well as the relevance with respect to Alzheimer’s disease pathology progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Herman Borghys
- Janssen Research & Development, a division of Janssen Pharmaceutica N.V., Beerse, Belgium
| | - Bianca Van Broeck
- Janssen Research & Development, a division of Janssen Pharmaceutica N.V., Beerse, Belgium
| | - Deborah Dhuyvetter
- Janssen Research & Development, a division of Janssen Pharmaceutica N.V., Beerse, Belgium
| | - Tom Jacobs
- Janssen Research & Development, a division of Janssen Pharmaceutica N.V., Beerse, Belgium
| | - Katja de Waepenaert
- Janssen Research & Development, a division of Janssen Pharmaceutica N.V., Beerse, Belgium
| | - Tim Erkens
- Janssen Research & Development, a division of Janssen Pharmaceutica N.V., Beerse, Belgium
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Frank L, Lüpke M, Kostic D, Löscher W, Tipold A. Grey matter volume in healthy and epileptic beagles using voxel-based morphometry - a pilot study. BMC Vet Res 2018; 14:50. [PMID: 29463250 PMCID: PMC5819682 DOI: 10.1186/s12917-018-1373-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2017] [Accepted: 02/14/2018] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND One of the most common chronic neurological disorders in dogs is idiopathic epilepsy (IE) diagnosed as epilepsy without structural changes in the brain. In the current study the hypothesis should be proven that subtle grey matter changes occur in epileptic dogs. Therefore, magnetic resonance (MR) images of one dog breed (Beagles) were used to obtain an approximately uniform brain shape. Local differences in grey matter volume (GMV) were compared between 5 healthy Beagles and 10 Beagles with spontaneously recurrent seizures (5 dogs with IE and 5 dogs with structural epilepsy (SE)), using voxel-based morphometry (VBM). T1W images of all dogs were prepared using Amira 6.3.0 for brain extraction, FSL 4.1.8 for registration and SPM12 for realignment. After creation of tissue probability maps of cerebrospinal fluid, grey and white matter from control images to segment all extracted brains, GM templates for each group were constructed to normalize brain images for parametric statistical analysis, which was achieved using SPM12. RESULTS Epileptic Beagles (IE and SE Beagles) displayed statistically significant reduced GMV in olfactory bulb, cingulate gyrus, hippocampus and cortex, especially in temporal and occipital lobes. Beagles with IE showed statistically significant decreased GMV in olfactory bulb, cortex of parietal and temporal lobe, hippocampus and cingulate gyrus, Beagles with SE mild statistically significant GMV reduction in temporal lobe (p < 0.05; family- wise error correction). CONCLUSION These results suggest that, as reported in epileptic humans, focal reduction in GMV also occurs in epileptic dogs. Furthermore, the current study shows that VBM analysis represents an excellent method to detect GMV differences of the brain between a healthy dog group and dogs with epileptic syndrome, when MR images of one breed are used.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Frank
- Department of Small Animal Medicine and Surgery, University of Veterinary Medicine, Hannover, Germany.
| | - Matthias Lüpke
- Department of General Radiology and Medical Physics, University of Veterinary Medicine, Hannover, Germany
| | - Draginja Kostic
- Department of Small Animal Medicine and Surgery, University of Veterinary Medicine, Hannover, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Löscher
- Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmacy, University of Veterinary Medicine, Hannover, Germany
| | - Andrea Tipold
- Department of Small Animal Medicine and Surgery, University of Veterinary Medicine, Hannover, Germany
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38
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Dockx R, Baeken C, Duprat R, De Vos F, Saunders JH, Polis I, Audenaert K, Peremans K. Changes in canine cerebral perfusion after accelerated high frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (HF-rTMS): A proof of concept study. Vet J 2018; 234:66-71. [PMID: 29680396 DOI: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2018.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2017] [Revised: 02/07/2018] [Accepted: 02/10/2018] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has been proposed as a treatment for several neuropsychiatric disorders in human beings, but the neurobiological effects of rTMS in dogs have not been investigated to date. A proof of concept study was designed to evaluate the effect of rTMS on cerebral perfusion, measured with single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), in dogs. An accelerated high frequency (aHF)-rTMS (20Hz) protocol was applied to the canine left frontal cortex. To accurately target this area, eight dogs underwent a 3 Tesla magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan before stimulation. The left frontal cortex was subjected to five consecutive aHF-rTMS sessions with a figure-of-eight coil designed for human beings at an intensity of 110% of the motor threshold. The dogs underwent 99mTc-d,1 hexamethylpropylene amine oxime (HMPAO) SPECT scans 1 week prior to and 1day after the stimulations. Perfusion indices (PIs) were determined semi-quantitatively; aHF-rTMS resulted in significantly increased PIs in the left frontal cortex and the subcortical region, whereas no significant differences were noted for the other regions. Behaviour was not influenced by the stimulation sessions. As has been observed in human beings, aHF-rTMS applied to the left frontal cortex alters regional cerebral perfusion in dogs.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Dockx
- Department of Psychiatry and Medical Psychology, Ghent Experimental Psychiatry (GHEP) Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Ghent University, De Pintelaan 185, 9000 Ghent, Belgium; Department of Veterinary Medical Imaging and Small Animal Orthopaedics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium.
| | - C Baeken
- Department of Psychiatry and Medical Psychology, Ghent Experimental Psychiatry (GHEP) Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Ghent University, De Pintelaan 185, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - R Duprat
- Department of Psychiatry and Medical Psychology, Ghent Experimental Psychiatry (GHEP) Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Ghent University, De Pintelaan 185, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - F De Vos
- Laboratory of Radiopharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - J H Saunders
- Department of Veterinary Medical Imaging and Small Animal Orthopaedics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - I Polis
- Department of Veterinary Medical Imaging and Small Animal Orthopaedics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - K Audenaert
- Department of Psychiatry and Medical Psychology, Ghent Experimental Psychiatry (GHEP) Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Ghent University, De Pintelaan 185, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - K Peremans
- Department of Veterinary Medical Imaging and Small Animal Orthopaedics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium
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Noh D, Choi S, Choi H, Lee Y, Lee K. Evaluation of interthalamic adhesion size as an indicator of brain atrophy in dogs with and without cognitive dysfunction. Vet Radiol Ultrasound 2017; 58:581-587. [DOI: 10.1111/vru.12528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2017] [Revised: 04/18/2017] [Accepted: 04/28/2017] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Daji Noh
- College of Veterinary Medicine; Kyungpook National University; Daegu 41566 Korea
| | - Sooyoung Choi
- College of Veterinary Medicine; Kangwon National University; Chuncheon 24341 Korea
| | - Hojung Choi
- College of Veterinary Medicine; Chungnam National University; Daejeon 34134 Korea
| | - Youngwon Lee
- College of Veterinary Medicine; Chungnam National University; Daejeon 34134 Korea
| | - Kija Lee
- College of Veterinary Medicine; Kyungpook National University; Daegu 41566 Korea
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40
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Dockx R, Peremans K, Duprat R, Vlerick L, Van Laeken N, Saunders JH, Polis I, De Vos F, Baeken C. Accurate external localization of the left frontal cortex in dogs by using pointer based frameless neuronavigation. PeerJ 2017; 5:e3425. [PMID: 28713649 PMCID: PMC5507169 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.3425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2017] [Accepted: 05/16/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In humans, non-stereotactic frameless neuronavigation systems are used as a topographical tool for non-invasive brain stimulation methods such as Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS). TMS studies in dogs may provide treatment modalities for several neuropsychological disorders in dogs. Nevertheless, an accurate non-invasive localization of a stimulation target has not yet been performed in this species. HYPOTHESIS This study was primarily put forward to externally locate the left frontal cortex in 18 healthy dogs by means of a human non-stereotactic neuronavigation system. Secondly, the accuracy of the external localization was assessed. ANIMALS A total of 18 healthy dogs, drawn at random from the research colony present at the faculty of Veterinary Medicine (Ghent University), were used. METHODS Two sets of coordinates (X, Y, Z and X″, Y″, Z″) were compared on each dog their tomographical dataset. RESULTS The non-stereotactic neuronavigation system was able to externally locate the frontal cortex in dogs with accuracy comparable with human studies. CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE This result indicates that a non-stereotactic neuronavigation system can accurately externally locate the left frontal cortex and paves the way to use guided non-invasive brain stimulation methods as an alternative treatment procedure for neurological and behavioral disorders in dogs. This technique could, in analogy with human guided non-invasive brain stimulation, provide a better treatment outcome for dogs suffering from anxiety disorders when compared to its non-guided alternative.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robrecht Dockx
- Department of Psychiatry and Medical Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, East-Flanders, Belgium.,Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, East-Flanders, Belgium
| | - Kathelijne Peremans
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, East-Flanders, Belgium
| | - Romain Duprat
- Department of Psychiatry and Medical Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, East-Flanders, Belgium
| | - Lise Vlerick
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, East-Flanders, Belgium
| | - Nick Van Laeken
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, East-Flanders, Belgium
| | - Jimmy H Saunders
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, East-Flanders, Belgium
| | - Ingeborgh Polis
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, East-Flanders, Belgium
| | - Filip De Vos
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, East-Flanders, Belgium
| | - Chris Baeken
- Department of Psychiatry and Medical Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, East-Flanders, Belgium
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Chapagain D, Virányi Z, Wallis LJ, Huber L, Serra J, Range F. Aging of Attentiveness in Border Collies and Other Pet Dog Breeds: The Protective Benefits of Lifelong Training. Front Aging Neurosci 2017; 9:100. [PMID: 28473766 PMCID: PMC5397477 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2017.00100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2017] [Accepted: 03/29/2017] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Aging of attentiveness affects cognitive functions like perception and working memory, which can seriously impact communication between dogs and humans, potentially hindering training and cooperation. Previous studies have revealed that aged laboratory beagles and pet Border collies (BC) show a decline in selective attention. However, much less is known about the aging of attentiveness in pet dogs in general rather than in specific breeds. Using 185 pet dogs (75 BC and 110 dogs of other breeds) divided into three age groups [late adulthood (6- < 8 year), senior (8- < 10 year) and geriatric (≥10 year)], we assessed the progress of aging of attentional capture, sustained and selective attention in older dogs in order to explore if prior results in BC are generalizable and to evaluate the influence of lifelong training on measures of attention. Each dog’s lifelong training score (ranging from 0 to 52) was calculated from a questionnaire filled in by the owners listing what kinds of training the dog participated in during its entire life. Dogs were tested in two tasks; the first, measuring attentional capture and sustained attention toward two stimuli (toy and human); and the second, measuring selective attention by means of clicker training for eye contact and finding food on the floor. In the first task, results revealed a significant effect of age but no effect of lifelong training on latency to orient to the stimuli. Duration of looking decreased with age and increased with lifelong training. In the second task, while lifelong training decreased the latency of dogs to form eye contact, aged dogs needed longer to find food. BC did not differ from other dogs in any measures of attention except latency to find food. In conclusion, aged dogs showed a decline in attentional capture and sustained attention demonstrating that these tests are sensitive to detect aging of attentiveness in older pet dogs. Importantly, selective attention remained unchanged with age and lifelong training seemed to delay or reduce the aging of attentiveness, further highlighting the importance of lifelong training in retaining general cognitive functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Durga Chapagain
- Clever Dog Lab, Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Medical University of Vienna, University of ViennaVienna, Austria
| | - Zsófia Virányi
- Clever Dog Lab, Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Medical University of Vienna, University of ViennaVienna, Austria
| | - Lisa J Wallis
- Clever Dog Lab, Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Medical University of Vienna, University of ViennaVienna, Austria.,Department of Ethology, Eötvös Loránd UniversityBudapest, Hungary
| | - Ludwig Huber
- Clever Dog Lab, Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Medical University of Vienna, University of ViennaVienna, Austria
| | | | - Friederike Range
- Clever Dog Lab, Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Medical University of Vienna, University of ViennaVienna, Austria
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42
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Pilegaard AM, Berendt M, Holst P, Møller A, McEvoy FJ. Effect of Skull Type on the Relative Size of Cerebral Cortex and Lateral Ventricles in Dogs. Front Vet Sci 2017; 4:30. [PMID: 28361057 PMCID: PMC5352664 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2017.00030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2016] [Accepted: 02/17/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Volume measurements of the brain are of interest in the diagnosis of brain pathology. This is particularly so in the investigation hydrocephalus and canine cognitive dysfunction (CCD), both of which result in thinning of the cerebral cortex and enlarged ventricles. Volume assessment can be made using computed tomography or more usually magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). There is, however, some uncertainty in the interpretation of such volume data due to the great variation in skull size and shape seen in dog. In this retrospective study, we examined normal MRI images from 63 dogs <6 years of age. We used a continuous variable, the cranial index (CrI) to indicate skull shape and compared it with MRI volume measurements derived using Cavalieri’s principle. We found a negative correlation between CrI and the ratio of cortical to ventricular volume. Breeds with a high CrI (large laterolateral compared to rostrocaudal cranial cavity dimension) had a smaller ratio of cortical to ventricular volume (low C:V ratio) than breeds with lower CrI skull types. It is important to consider this effect of skull shape on the relative volume estimates of the cerebral cortex and ventricles when trying to establish if pathology is present.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anders M Pilegaard
- Department of Veterinary Clinical and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen , Frederiksberg , Denmark
| | - Mette Berendt
- Department of Veterinary Clinical and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen , Frederiksberg , Denmark
| | - Pernille Holst
- Department of Veterinary Clinical and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen , Frederiksberg , Denmark
| | - Arne Møller
- Center of Functionally Integrative Neuroscience, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University , Aarhus , Denmark
| | - Fintan J McEvoy
- Department of Veterinary Clinical and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen , Frederiksberg , Denmark
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43
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Hainsworth AH, Allan SM, Boltze J, Cunningham C, Farris C, Head E, Ihara M, Isaacs JD, Kalaria RN, Lesnik Oberstein SAMJ, Moss MB, Nitzsche B, Rosenberg GA, Rutten JW, Salkovic-Petrisic M, Troen AM. Translational models for vascular cognitive impairment: a review including larger species. BMC Med 2017; 15:16. [PMID: 28118831 PMCID: PMC5264492 DOI: 10.1186/s12916-017-0793-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2016] [Accepted: 01/12/2017] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Disease models are useful for prospective studies of pathology, identification of molecular and cellular mechanisms, pre-clinical testing of interventions, and validation of clinical biomarkers. Here, we review animal models relevant to vascular cognitive impairment (VCI). A synopsis of each model was initially presented by expert practitioners. Synopses were refined by the authors, and subsequently by the scientific committee of a recent conference (International Conference on Vascular Dementia 2015). Only peer-reviewed sources were cited. METHODS We included models that mimic VCI-related brain lesions (white matter hypoperfusion injury, focal ischaemia, cerebral amyloid angiopathy) or reproduce VCI risk factors (old age, hypertension, hyperhomocysteinemia, high-salt/high-fat diet) or reproduce genetic causes of VCI (CADASIL-causing Notch3 mutations). CONCLUSIONS We concluded that (1) translational models may reflect a VCI-relevant pathological process, while not fully replicating a human disease spectrum; (2) rodent models of VCI are limited by paucity of white matter; and (3) further translational models, and improved cognitive testing instruments, are required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atticus H Hainsworth
- Clinical Neurosciences (J-0B) Molecular and Clinical Sciences Research Institute, St George's University of London, Cranmer Terrace, London, SW17 0RE, UK. .,Department of Neurology, St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
| | - Stuart M Allan
- Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, M13 9PT, UK
| | - Johannes Boltze
- Department of Translational Medicine and Cell Technology, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany.,Neurovascular Research Laboratory, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Catriona Cunningham
- Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, M13 9PT, UK
| | - Chad Farris
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.,Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Elizabeth Head
- Department of Pharmacology & Nutritional Sciences, Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Masafumi Ihara
- Department of Stroke and Cerebrovascular Diseases, National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center, Osaka, Japan
| | - Jeremy D Isaacs
- Clinical Neurosciences (J-0B) Molecular and Clinical Sciences Research Institute, St George's University of London, Cranmer Terrace, London, SW17 0RE, UK.,Department of Neurology, St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Raj N Kalaria
- Institute of Neuroscience, University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK
| | | | - Mark B Moss
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.,Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Björn Nitzsche
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Leipzig, Germany.,Clinic for Nuclear Medicine, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.,Institute for Anatomy, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Gary A Rosenberg
- Department of Neurology, Health Sciences Center, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Julie W Rutten
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands.,Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Melita Salkovic-Petrisic
- Department of Pharmacology, Croatian Institute for Brain Research, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Aron M Troen
- Institute of Biochemistry Food and Nutrition Science, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel
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Milne ME, Steward C, Firestone SM, Long SN, O'Brien TJ, Moffat BA. Development of representative magnetic resonance imaging-based atlases of the canine brain and evaluation of three methods for atlas-based segmentation. Am J Vet Res 2016; 77:395-403. [PMID: 27027839 DOI: 10.2460/ajvr.77.4.395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To develop representative MRI atlases of the canine brain and to evaluate 3 methods of atlas-based segmentation (ABS). ANIMALS 62 dogs without clinical signs of epilepsy and without MRI evidence of structural brain disease. PROCEDURES The MRI scans from 44 dogs were used to develop 4 templates on the basis of brain shape (brachycephalic, mesaticephalic, dolichocephalic, and combined mesaticephalic and dolichocephalic). Atlas labels were generated by segmenting the brain, ventricular system, hippocampal formation, and caudate nuclei. The MRI scans from the remaining 18 dogs were used to evaluate 3 methods of ABS (manual brain extraction and application of a brain shape-specific template [A], automatic brain extraction and application of a brain shape-specific template [B], and manual brain extraction and application of a combined template [C]). The performance of each ABS method was compared by calculation of the Dice and Jaccard coefficients, with manual segmentation used as the gold standard. RESULTS Method A had the highest mean Jaccard coefficient and was the most accurate ABS method assessed. Measures of overlap for ABS methods that used manual brain extraction (A and C) ranged from 0.75 to 0.95 and compared favorably with repeated measures of overlap for manual extraction, which ranged from 0.88 to 0.97. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Atlas-based segmentation was an accurate and repeatable method for segmentation of canine brain structures. It could be performed more rapidly than manual segmentation, which should allow the application of computer-assisted volumetry to large data sets and clinical cases and facilitate neuroimaging research and disease diagnosis.
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Carreira LM. Using Bronson Equation to Accurately Predict the Dog Brain Weight Based on Body Weight Parameter. Vet Sci 2016; 3:vetsci3040036. [PMID: 29056744 PMCID: PMC5606585 DOI: 10.3390/vetsci3040036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2016] [Revised: 11/20/2016] [Accepted: 11/29/2016] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
The study used 69 brains (n = 69) from adult dog cadavers, divided by their skull type into three groups, brachi (B), dolicho (D) and mesaticephalic (M) (n = 23 each), and aimed: (1) to determine whether the Bronson equation may be applied, without reservation, to estimate brain weight (BW) in brachy (B), dolicho (D), and mesaticephalic (M) dog breeds; and (2) to evaluate which breeds are more closely related to each other in an evolutionary scenario. All subjects were identified by sex, age, breed, and body weight (bw). An oscillating saw was used for a circumferential craniotomy to open the skulls; the brains were removed and weighed using a digital scale. For statistical analysis, p-values < 0.05 were considered significant. The work demonstrated a strong relationship between the observed and predicted BW by using the Bronson equation. It was possible to hypothesize that groups B and D present a greater encephalization level than M breeds, that B and D dog breeds are more closely related to each other than to M, and from the three groups, the D individuals presented the highest brain mass mean.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Miguel Carreira
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Lisbon (FMV/ULisboa), Av. da Universidade Técnica de Lisboa, Polo Universitário Alto da Ajuda, Lisbon 1300-477, Portugal.
- Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Animal Health (CIISA), FMV/ULisboa, Av. da Universidade Técnica de Lisboa, Polo Universitário Alto da Ajuda, Lisbon 1300-477, Portugal.
- Anjos of Assis Veterinary Medicine Centre (CMVAA), Rua Dª. Francisca da Azambuja Nº 9-9A, Barreiro 2830-077, Portugal.
- Private Practice in Human Dentistry, Oral Medicine and Surgery Clinic, Lisbon 1300-477, Portugal.
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46
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Febo M, Foster TC. Preclinical Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Spectroscopy Studies of Memory, Aging, and Cognitive Decline. Front Aging Neurosci 2016; 8:158. [PMID: 27468264 PMCID: PMC4942756 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2016.00158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2016] [Accepted: 06/16/2016] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuroimaging provides for non-invasive evaluation of brain structure and activity and has been employed to suggest possible mechanisms for cognitive aging in humans. However, these imaging procedures have limits in terms of defining cellular and molecular mechanisms. In contrast, investigations of cognitive aging in animal models have mostly utilized techniques that have offered insight on synaptic, cellular, genetic, and epigenetic mechanisms affecting memory. Studies employing magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy (MRI and MRS, respectively) in animal models have emerged as an integrative set of techniques bridging localized cellular/molecular phenomenon and broader in vivo neural network alterations. MRI methods are remarkably suited to longitudinal tracking of cognitive function over extended periods permitting examination of the trajectory of structural or activity related changes. Combined with molecular and electrophysiological tools to selectively drive activity within specific brain regions, recent studies have begun to unlock the meaning of fMRI signals in terms of the role of neural plasticity and types of neural activity that generate the signals. The techniques provide a unique opportunity to causally determine how memory-relevant synaptic activity is processed and how memories may be distributed or reconsolidated over time. The present review summarizes research employing animal MRI and MRS in the study of brain function, structure, and biochemistry, with a particular focus on age-related cognitive decline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcelo Febo
- Department of Psychiatry, William L. and Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Thomas C Foster
- Department of Neuroscience, William L. and Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida Gainesville, FL, USA
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47
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Youssef SA, Capucchio MT, Rofina JE, Chambers JK, Uchida K, Nakayama H, Head E. Pathology of the Aging Brain in Domestic and Laboratory Animals, and Animal Models of Human Neurodegenerative Diseases. Vet Pathol 2016; 53:327-48. [DOI: 10.1177/0300985815623997] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
According to the WHO, the proportion of people over 60 years is increasing and expected to reach 22% of total world’s population in 2050. In parallel, recent animal demographic studies have shown that the life expectancy of pet dogs and cats is increasing. Brain aging is associated not only with molecular and morphological changes but also leads to different degrees of behavioral and cognitive dysfunction. Common age-related brain lesions in humans include brain atrophy, neuronal loss, amyloid plaques, cerebrovascular amyloid angiopathy, vascular mineralization, neurofibrillary tangles, meningeal osseous metaplasia, and accumulation of lipofuscin. In aging humans, the most common neurodegenerative disorder is Alzheimer’s disease (AD), which progressively impairs cognition, behavior, and quality of life. Pathologic changes comparable to the lesions of AD are described in several other animal species, although their clinical significance and effect on cognitive function are poorly documented. This review describes the commonly reported age-associated neurologic lesions in domestic and laboratory animals and the relationship of these lesions to cognitive dysfunction. Also described are the comparative interspecies similarities and differences to AD and other human neurodegenerative diseases including Parkinson’s disease and progressive supranuclear palsy, and the spontaneous and transgenic animal models of these diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- S. A. Youssef
- Department of Pathobiology, Dutch Molecular Pathology Center, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - M. T. Capucchio
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, Torino University, Torino, Italy
| | - J. E. Rofina
- Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - J. K. Chambers
- Department of Veterinary Pathology, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - K. Uchida
- Department of Veterinary Pathology, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - H. Nakayama
- Department of Veterinary Pathology, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - E. Head
- Sanders Brown Center on Aging, Pharmacology & Nutritional Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, UK, USA
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Smolek T, Madari A, Farbakova J, Kandrac O, Jadhav S, Cente M, Brezovakova V, Novak M, Zilka N. Tau hyperphosphorylation in synaptosomes and neuroinflammation are associated with canine cognitive impairment. J Comp Neurol 2015; 524:874-95. [PMID: 26239295 DOI: 10.1002/cne.23877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2015] [Revised: 07/28/2015] [Accepted: 07/30/2015] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Canine cognitive impairment syndrome (CDS) represents a group of symptoms related to the aging of the canine brain. These changes ultimately lead to a decline of memory function and learning abilities, alteration of social interaction, impairment of normal housetraining, and changes in sleep-wake cycle and general activity. We have clinically examined 215 dogs, 28 of which underwent autopsy. With canine brains, we performed extensive analysis of pathological abnormalities characteristic of human Alzheimer's disease and frontotemporal lobar degeneration, including β-amyloid senile plaques, tau neurofibrillary tangles, and fused in sarcoma (FUS) and TAR DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP43) inclusions. Most demented dogs displayed senile plaques, mainly in the frontal and temporal cortex. Tau neurofibrillary inclusions were found in only one dog. They were identified with antibodies used to detect tau neurofibrillary lesions in the human brain. The inclusions were also positive for Gallyas silver staining. As in humans, they were distributed mainly in the entorhinal cortex, hippocampus, and temporal cortex. On the other hand, FUS and TDP43 aggregates were not present in any of the examined brain samples. We also found that CDS was characterized by the presence of reactive and senescent microglial cells in the frontal cortex. Our transcriptomic study revealed a significant dysregulation of genes involved in neuroinflammation. Finally, we analyzed tau phosphoproteome in the synaptosomes. Proteomic studies revealed a significant increase of hyperphosphorylated tau in synaptosomes of demented dogs compared with nondemented dogs. This study suggests that cognitive decline in dogs is related to the tau synaptic impairment and neuroinflammation. J. Comp. Neurol. 524:874-895, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomas Smolek
- Institute of Neuroimmunology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, 845 10, Bratislava, Slovak Republic
| | - Aladar Madari
- University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy, 040 01, Kosice, Slovak Republic
| | - Jana Farbakova
- University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy, 040 01, Kosice, Slovak Republic
| | - Ondrej Kandrac
- University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy, 040 01, Kosice, Slovak Republic
| | - Santosh Jadhav
- Institute of Neuroimmunology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, 845 10, Bratislava, Slovak Republic
| | - Martin Cente
- Institute of Neuroimmunology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, 845 10, Bratislava, Slovak Republic.,Axon Neuroscience SE, 811 02, Bratislava, Slovak Republic
| | - Veronika Brezovakova
- Institute of Neuroimmunology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, 845 10, Bratislava, Slovak Republic
| | - Michal Novak
- Institute of Neuroimmunology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, 845 10, Bratislava, Slovak Republic.,Axon Neuroscience SE, 811 02, Bratislava, Slovak Republic
| | - Norbert Zilka
- Institute of Neuroimmunology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, 845 10, Bratislava, Slovak Republic.,Axon Neuroscience SE, 811 02, Bratislava, Slovak Republic.,Institute of Neuroimmunology, n.o., 811 02, Bratislava, Slovak Republic
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Alzheimer's disease is a complex multifactorial age-related neurodegenerative disorder. Current transgenic animal models do not fully recapitulate human Alzheimer's disease at the molecular, cellular and behavioural levels. This review aims to address the clinical relevance of using 'physiologically' aged rats, dogs and Octodon degus, as more representative 'natural' ecologically valid models to elucidate mechanistic aspects of Alzheimer's disease, and for the development of therapeutic agents to attenuate age-related cognitive decline. RECENT FINDINGS Aged rats, dogs and O. degus decline cognitively and ultimately develop Alzheimer's disease-like symptoms in response to the natural ageing process. Aged rats provide a tractable and popular model to examine the neurobiological basis underlying cognitive decline with age, but they do not develop Alzheimer's disease pathology. Progressive accumulation of abnormal amyloid-beta in extracellular plaques and surrounding cerebral vasculature is a common feature in human Alzheimer's disease, aged canine model and most nonhuman primates. Interestingly, the O. degus develops amyloid-beta deposits, neurofibrillary tangles containing hyperphosphorylated tau protein, altered cholinergic transmission and cognitive deficits analogous to those observed in Alzheimer's disease. Natural animal models better represent the full pathophysiology of Alzheimer's disease and are not only a viable alternative to transgenic models, but also are arguably the preferable model. SUMMARY 'Natural' models are useful to elucidate the neurobiological basis of Alzheimer's disease and develop effective therapeutic strategies that can be translated into human clinical trials.
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Zanghi BM, Araujo J, Milgram NW. Cognitive domains in the dog: independence of working memory from object learning, selective attention, and motor learning. Anim Cogn 2015; 18:789-800. [PMID: 25677729 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-015-0847-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2014] [Revised: 01/28/2015] [Accepted: 02/05/2015] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Cognition in dogs, like in humans, is not a unitary process. Some functions, such as simple discrimination learning, are relatively insensitive to age; others, such as visuospatial learning can provide behavioral biomarkers of age. The present experiment sought to further establish the relationship between various cognitive domains, namely visuospatial memory, object discrimination learning (ODL), and selective attention (SA). In addition, we also set up a task to assess motor learning (ML). Thirty-six beagles (9-16 years) performed a variable delay non-matching to position (vDNMP) task using two objects with 20- and 90-s delay and were divided into three groups based on a combined score (HMP = 88-93 % accuracy [N = 12]; MMP = 79-86 % accuracy [N = 12]; LMP = 61-78 % accuracy [N = 12]). Variable object oddity task was used to measure ODL (correct or incorrect object) and SA (0-3 incorrect distractor objects with same [SA-same] or different [SA-diff] correct object as ODL). ML involved reaching various distances (0-15 cm). Age did not differ between memory groups (mean 11.6 years). ODL (ANOVA P = 0.43), or SA-same and SA-different (ANOVA P = 0.96), performance did not differ between the three vDNMP groups, although mean errors during ODL was numerically higher for LMP dogs. Errors increased (P < 0.001) for all dogs with increasing number of distractor objects during both SA tasks. vDNMP groups remained different (ANOVA P < 0.001) when re-tested with vDNMP task 42 days later. Maximum ML distance did not differ between vDNMP groups (ANOVA P = 0.96). Impaired short-term memory performance in aged dogs does not appear to predict performance of cognitive domains associated with object learning, SA, or maximum ML distance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian M Zanghi
- Nestlé Purina Petcare Research, One Checkerboard Square, St Louis, MO, 63164, USA,
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