Signs of Alzheimer’s disease discovered in dolphins

By Web Desk
October 26, 2017

MADRID: For the first time, scientists have discovered evidence of Alzheimer’s disease in a wild animal, after detecting ‘full-blown’ symptoms in the brains of dolphins.

A Spanish research revealed potential of Alzheimer’s disease found in dolphins, a brain disease likely to be diagnosed in humans and chimpanzees.

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Dolphins, like humans, are somewhat unique in that they can go on living for many years after they are capable of reproducing.

And, the findings now suggest Alzheimer’s may be among the costs of a long lifespan.

The study suggests alterations in insulin function may leave both humans and dolphins susceptible to the disease.

The 2017 report published in the journal Alzheimer’s & Dementia explained symptoms amyloid plaques and tangled clumps of fibers in the brainshaving potential in three different species of dolphins,specifically Bottlenose, striped and Risso’s.

The study from the Oxford University explains that mammals with certain psychological traits similar to humans have the tendency for the disease.

It was disclosed that poor responses to insulin is more likely to ail a human body with Alzheimer’s. Previous reports tell thatthe bottlenose dolphins can also develop insulin resistance.

It was disclosed that the study on Alzheimer’s would not proceed with wild dolphins due to their non-survival outside water. The recent study late Septemberhad based its experiments on eight dead dolphins that washed up on shores in Spain.

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