Volume 29, Issue 3, March 2005, Pages 471–479
CANINE MODEL OF COGNITIVE AGING: FURTHER DEVELOPMENTS AND PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS
Abstract
With
increasing age, dogs develop a form of neurodegenerative disease which
has many similarities to age related cognitive impairment and
Alzheimer's disease in humans. A decline in learning and memory can be
demonstrated in dogs beginning as young as 7 years of age using a
variety of neuropsychological tests. However, clinical cases of
cognitive dysfunction syndrome are seldom identified until the age of 11
years or older. This is likely due to the fact that the owners are
relying on clinical observations such as house-soiling, sleep–wake
cycles and disorientation, rather than tests of learning and memory. On
the other hand, dogs that are trained to more exacting tasks such as
guide dogs for the visually impaired, or bomb detection and agility
trained dogs might be noticed to have a decline in performance at a much
earlier age. Through the use of standardized neuropsychological testing
protocols, a number of drugs, natural products and supplement
formulations have been developed for use in dogs with cognitive
dysfunction and, in some cases clinical trials have validated their
efficacy. Furthermore, the testing of products currently licensed and in
the pipeline for the treatment of cognitive decline and Alzheimer's in
humans, may provide additional therapeutic agents for the treatment of
senior dogs, as well as provide insight as to the potential for the
efficacy of these compounds in humans. This review will examine those
products that are now marketed along with some that might be considered
for use in senior dogs with cognitive dysfunction as well as the
research that has been used to validate the efficacy (or lack thereof)
of these compounds.
Abbreviations
- CDS, Cognitive dysfunction syndrome;
- DISHA, acronym for Disorientation, altered Interactions with people and other pets, Sleep–wake cycle alterations, Housesoiling and altered Activity Level;
- TGTA, Toronto General Test Apparatus;
- DHA, docosahexaenoic acid;
- DNMP, delayed-non-matching-to-position-task;
- DNMS, delayed-non-matching-to-sample task;
- MAOB, monoamine oxidase B;
- MCI, mild cognitive impairment;
- NGF, neurotropic growth factor;
- PEA, 2-phenylethylamine;
- SOD, superoxide dismutase
Keywords
- Acetylcholinesterase inhibitor;
- Adrafanil;
- Alpha-lipoic acid;
- Antioxidant;
- Brain aging;
- Canine b/d®;
- Cognitive dysfunction syndrome;
- Discrimination learning;
- Docosahexaenoic acid;
- Environmental enrichment;
- Gingko biloba;
- l-carnitine;
- Modafinil;
- Neurodegenerative;
- Nicergoline;
- Phosphatidylserine;
- Propentofylline;
- Reversal learning;
- Selegiline;
- Scopolamine;
- Spatial memory
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Copyright © 2005 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
