Comment on Kent State researchers studying chimpanzee brains find evidence that older chimps may get Alzheimer’s

Kent State researchers studying chimpanzee brains find evidence that older chimps may get Alzheimer’s

Researchers studying chimpanzee brains have found the most extensive evidence to date of Alz­heimer’s disease pathology in a primate.However, researchers — including those from Kent State University — say more study is needed to determine whether the pathologies found in chimpanzee brains lead to age-related cognitive decline in the apes.The new study — involving the brains of humans’ closest living relatives — could help researchers determine how humans develop Alzheimer’s and how to fight the disease.Humans have been thought to be uniquely susceptible to Alzheimer’s disease.The study was published Tuesday in the journal Neurobiology of Aging.“Very few studies have investigated Alzheimer’s disease pathology in chimpanzees, the species closest in phylogeny [evolutionary history] and most genetically related to humans,” said senior author Mary Ann Raghanti, associate professor and interim chair of anthropology at Kent State, in a news release issued by the university.“Brain samples from great apes, particularly aged individuals, are incredibly scarce, so a study this size is rare,” she said.

 

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