A groundbreaking study from the University of Edinburgh has found that feline brains affected by dementia undergo similar changes to those seen in humans suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.

These similarities could contribute to the development of future treatments for people with Alzheimer’s. 

This revelation not only offers hope for understanding and treating Alzheimer’s in humans, but it also suggests that new pioneering treatments for humans could potentially benefit our ageing pets as well.

Historically, scientists have relied on genetically modified rodents for Alzheimer’s research, but these rodents don’t naturally develop dementia like cats do. Cats also display similar symptoms to humans such as increased vocalisation, confusion and disrupted sleep patterns.

Dr Robert McGeachan, the lead researcher from the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, commented: “Dementia is a devastating disease – whether it affects humans, cats, or dogs. Our findings highlight the striking similarities between feline dementia and Alzheimer’s disease in people.

“This opens the door to exploring whether promising new treatments for human Alzheimer’s disease could also help our ageing pets. Because cats naturally develop these brain changes, they may also offer a more accurate model of the disease than traditional laboratory animals, ultimately benefiting both species and their caregivers.”

The research team studied the brains of 25 deceased cats of varying ages and discovered that those with dementia had an accumulation of amyloid-beta in the synapses, a characteristic also found in the brains of humans with Alzheimer’s disease.

Published in the journal European Journal of Neuroscience, these discoveries can provide a much clearer understanding of how this accumulation happens and why it triggers brain malfunction and memory decline.

The research team discovered evidence in the feline brains that support cells were essentially ‘consuming’ the damaged synapses. This process is known as synaptic pruning.

Synaptic pruning is a normal and crucial aspect of brain development, but it can play a role in the synapse deterioration that triggers dementia.

Professor Danièlle Gunn-Moore, Personal Chair of Feline Medicine at the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, said: “Feline dementia is so distressing for the cat and for its person.

“It is by undertaking studies like this that we will understand how best to treat them. This will be wonderful for the cats, their owners, people with Alzheimer’s and their loved ones. Feline dementia is the perfect natural model for Alzheimer’s, everyone benefits.”

The research, supported by Wellcome and the UK Dementia Research Institute, involved scientists from the Universities of Edinburgh and California, UK Dementia Research Institute and Scottish Brain Sciences.