In elderly adults, the most common neurodegenerative disease is Alzheimer’s
disease (AD). It is also the leading cause of dependency and disability.
Besides humans, many other animals have been seen to develop certain
aspects of AD-like pathology. Sudies on the brains of Toothed whales to
document the presence or absence of neuropathological hallmarks of AD.AD has affected millions of older adults worldwide, and its economic impact
in the UK alone has been estimated to be over £20 billion annually. When
pathognomonic lesions are present beyond a certain stage, disease
progression and neurodegeneration occur. This may result in impaired
learning skills, memory, communication, and the ability to perform daily
tasks. Scientist Alois Alzheimer first described amyloid plaques (APs) and
neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) over 100 years ago.In humans, APs associated with AD can be initially located in the basal
parts of the frontal, temporal and occipital cortices. As the disease
progresses, this spreads to all cerebrocortical areas. The APs detected
were located close to blood vessels, diffuse, and did not have the overt
gliosis associated with human AD. The significance of the presence of
neurodegenerative lesions in odontocetes should be examined in future
research.In all brain samples that were examined, microglia and astrocytes were
present. Although this was expected, differences in cell numbers and
morphology were observed between animals. The three species mentioned above
were deemed to develop AD-like neuropathology spontaneously, owing to the
concurrent occurrence of hyperphosphorylated tau pathology and APs in the
brain.
disease (AD). It is also the leading cause of dependency and disability.
Besides humans, many other animals have been seen to develop certain
aspects of AD-like pathology. Sudies on the brains of Toothed whales to
document the presence or absence of neuropathological hallmarks of AD.AD has affected millions of older adults worldwide, and its economic impact
in the UK alone has been estimated to be over £20 billion annually. When
pathognomonic lesions are present beyond a certain stage, disease
progression and neurodegeneration occur. This may result in impaired
learning skills, memory, communication, and the ability to perform daily
tasks. Scientist Alois Alzheimer first described amyloid plaques (APs) and
neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) over 100 years ago.In humans, APs associated with AD can be initially located in the basal
parts of the frontal, temporal and occipital cortices. As the disease
progresses, this spreads to all cerebrocortical areas. The APs detected
were located close to blood vessels, diffuse, and did not have the overt
gliosis associated with human AD. The significance of the presence of
neurodegenerative lesions in odontocetes should be examined in future
research.In all brain samples that were examined, microglia and astrocytes were
present. Although this was expected, differences in cell numbers and
morphology were observed between animals. The three species mentioned above
were deemed to develop AD-like neuropathology spontaneously, owing to the
concurrent occurrence of hyperphosphorylated tau pathology and APs in the
brain.
