Memory Impairment in Aged Primates Is Associated with Focal Death of Cortical Neurons and Atrophy of Subcortical Neurons

• DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.4289-03.2004
• Publication Date: 2004-05-05T19:41:22Z
• Authors: David E. Smith; Peter R. Rapp; Heather M. McKay; Jeffrey A. Roberts; Mark H. Tuszynski
• Keywords: Cortical neurons; Posterior cortical atrophy

Mechanisms of cognitive decline with aging remain primarily unknown. We determined whether localized cell loss occurred in brain regions associated age-related primates. On a task requiring the prefrontal cortex, aged monkeys were impaired maintaining representations working memory. Stereological quantification area 8A, region memory, demonstrated significant 32 ± 11% reduction number Nissl-stained neurons compared young monkeys. Furthermore, immunolabeled cholinergic projecting to this cortex from nucleus basalis was also reduced by 50 6%. In contrast, neuronal strikingly preserved an adjoining cortical 46, and component region. These findings demonstrate extensive but highly neocortical aged, cognitively that likely contributes decline. Cell degeneration, when present, extends transneuronally.