Monkey Brain Map Points to the Brainstem as an Aging Hotspot
Graded Preliminary — highly detailed measurements of nearly three million cell nuclei, but from only 23 female monkeys and purely descriptive, with no test of causes.
Animal study. Findings may not carry over to people, which is why the grade is capped at Preliminary.
- Design
- Animal study
- Participants
- 23
- Duration
- —
- Funding
- National Natural Science Foundation of China; National Key R&D Program of…
In aging macaques, the lower brainstem and its insulated nerve fiber bundles change especially strongly.
The brain does not age evenly. A huge map of monkey brains highlights a region that had drawn little attention: the lower brainstem. In two parts there, called the pons and the medulla, whole networks of different cell types changed with age. The white matter stood out as especially vulnerable. These are the bundles of nerve fibers wrapped in an insulating layer.
Researchers studied nearly three million cell nuclei from eight brain regions of 23 female macaques. The animals spanned the full adult lifespan, including some very old ones. For each nucleus, the team measured which genes were switched on and how openly the DNA was packed. The changes depended strongly on cell type and brain region. Communication between nerve cells and the insulation of nerve fibers were most affected. Comparing the map with data from human brains showed shared features, but also differences.
The atlas describes what changes, not what causes those changes. Only female animals were included. The authors offer the data as a foundation for studying brain aging and conditions such as dementia.
Conflict of Interest Disclosure: Many of the authors are employees of BGI Group, a genomics company.
Disclaimer: Research summaries are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making changes to your health routine.