Delayed response task performance as a function of age in cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis)

H S Darusman,S J Schapiro,J Hau,J Call,O Kalliokoski,D Sajuthi,A Gjedde

doi:10.1007/s10329-013-0397-8

Abstract

We compared delayed response task performance in young, middle-aged, and old cynomolgus monkeys using three memory tests that have been used with non-human primates. Eighteen cynomolgus monkeys—6 young (4–9 years), 6 middle-aged (10–19 years), and 6 old (above 20 years)—were tested. In general, the old monkeys scored significantly worse than did the animals in the two other age groups. Longer delays between stimulus presentation and response increased the performance differences between the old and younger monkeys. The old monkeys in particular showed signs of impaired visuo-spatial memory and deteriorated memory consolidation and executive functioning. These results add to the body of evidence supporting the utility of Macaca fascicularis in studies of cognition and as a potential translational model for age-associated memory impairment/dementia-related disorders.

Highlights

Aged monkeys display many of the key cognitive deficits associated with human aging and dementias
We compared delayed response task performance in young, middle-aged, and old cynomolgus monkeys using three memory tests that have been used with non-human primates
Similar to the current study, Amici et al (2010) found that adult cynomolgus monkeys performed above chance after a short delay between baiting and retrieval, but that their performance deteriorated with longer delays

Summary

Introduction

Aged monkeys display many of the key cognitive deficits associated with human aging and dementias. Ample evidence of the utility of aged non-human primates (NHP) as models for human age-related neurodegenerative diseases has been provided (Voytko 1996; Duan et al 2003; Voytko and Tinkler 2004; Bartus and Dean 2009; Nagahara et al 2010). Several behavioral tasks for assessing various cognitive domains that were developed in research into human. Hau Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Copenhagen and National University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark

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Conclusion