Brain volumetrics across the lifespan of the rhesus macaque

Steven Dash; Byung Park; Christopher D Kroenke; William D Rooney; Henryk F Urbanski; Steven G Kohama

doi:10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2023.02.002

Brain volumetrics across the lifespan of the rhesus macaque

Neurobiol Aging. 2023 Jun:126:34-43. doi: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2023.02.002. Epub 2023 Feb 11.

Authors

Steven Dash¹, Byung Park², Christopher D Kroenke³, William D Rooney⁴, Henryk F Urbanski⁵, Steven G Kohama⁶

Affiliations

¹ Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, OR, USA.
² Biostatistics Shared Resource, Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA.
³ Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, OR, USA; Advanced Imaging Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA; Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA.
⁴ Advanced Imaging Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA; Department of Neurology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA; Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA.
⁵ Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, OR, USA; Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA.
⁶ Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, OR, USA; Advanced Imaging Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA. Electronic address: kohamas@ohsu.edu.

PMID: 36917864
PMCID: PMC10106431 (available on 2024-06-01)
DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2023.02.002

Abstract

The rhesus macaque is a long-lived nonhuman primate (NHP) with a brain structure similar to humans, which may represent a valuable translational animal model in which to study human brain aging. Previous magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies of age in rhesus macaque brains have been prone to low statistical power, unbalanced sex ratio and lack of a complete age range. To overcome these problems, the current study surveyed structural T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging scans of 66 animals, 34 females (aged 6-31 years) and 32 males (aged 5-27 years). Differences observed in older animals, included enlargement of the lateral ventricles and a smaller volume in the frontal cortex, caudate, putamen, hypothalamus, and thalamus. Unexpected, greater volume, were measured in older animals in the hippocampus, amygdala, and globus pallidus. There were also numerous differences between males and females with respect to age in both white and gray matter regions. As an apparent model of normative human aging, the macaque is ideal for studying induction and mitigation of neurodegenerative disease.

Keywords: Aging; Frontal Cortex; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Rhesus Macaque.

Publication types

Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

Aged
Animals
Brain / diagnostic imaging
Brain / pathology
Female
Gray Matter / diagnostic imaging
Gray Matter / pathology
Humans
Longevity*
Macaca mulatta
Magnetic Resonance Imaging / methods
Male
Neurodegenerative Diseases* / pathology

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

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