Early Alzheimer'S Disease-Type Pathology In The Frontal Cortex Of Wild Mountain Gorillas (Gorilla Beringei Beringei)

Department

neurobiology

Document Type

Article

Abstract

Amyloid beta (Aβ) and tau pathology have been described in the brains of captive aged great apes, but the natural progression of these age-related pathologies from wild great apes, including the gorilla, is unknown. In our previous study of Western lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) who were housed in American Zoos and Aquariums-accredited facilities, we found an age-related increase in Aβ-positive plaques and vasculature, tau-positive astrocytes, oligodendrocyte coiled bodies, and neuritic clusters in the neocortex as well as hippocampus in older animals. Here, we demonstrate that aged wild mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei), who spent their entire lives in their natural habitat, also display an age-related increase in amyloid precursor protein (APP) and/or Aβ-immunoreactive blood vessels and plaques, but very limited tau pathology, in the frontal cortex. These results indicate that Aβ and tau lesions are age-related events that occur in the brain of gorillas living in captivity and in the wild.

Publication Date

3-1-2016

Publication Title

Neurobiology of Aging

ISSN

01974580

Volume

39

First Page

195

Last Page

201

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2015.12.017

This document is currently not available here.

Share

COinS