Observing Old Dogs Helps Scientists Take a Look at What's Happening Inside the Brains of Aging Canines

Numerous domestic dogs contribute to a citizen science study aiming to better understand how memory and cognition change with age.

Studying Dogs

Hana did well on her memory exam. The three-year-old Cavalier King Charles spaniel had to recall which of three identical boxes housed a reward after examining the contents of each one, a job she swiftly mastered after just a few tries.

(Photo : Alvan Nee/Unsplash)

Scientists are learning something else thanks to Hana and her human partner Masami Shimizu-Albergine of Bainbridge Island, Washington: when dog intelligence peaks and how it decreases with age.

Hana is a member of the Dog Aging Project, a citizen science project started in 2014 that already includes nearly 40,000 domestic dogs. One of the project's two primary objectives is to comprehend the biology of aging in companion dogs, according to cofounder and codirector Matt Kaeberlein, a pathologist at the University of Washington in Seattle who specializes in aging. The alternative is to take action.

The University of Washington and Texas A&M University effort will monitor several facets of dogs' life over time through veterinarian records, DNA samples, health surveys, and cognitive assessments like Hana's treat-finding task. Hana will participate in fewer, more narrowly focused studies and thorough evaluations than the other dogs. From all the information, researchers seek to identify trends and establish connections between lifestyle choices and health from early development to old age.

Also Read: Study Shows that Some Dog Owners Believe They Can Read Their Pet's Mind

Family Dog Project

The Family Dog Project was started in the 1990s at Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE) in Budapest to investigate "the behavioral and cognitive elements of the dog-human interaction," and tens of thousands of dogs took part during the project's existence.

The scientists anticipate that working with such a sizable combined group of dogs would enable them to elucidate the genetic and environmental variables that influence how long dogs live and how much of that time is spent in good health. The two teams have started working together across continents.

Given that hundreds of millions of dogs are probably kept as pets worldwide, it is crucial to understand how they age to enhance their quality of life and the care they get. However, following the lives of some of these canine partners may offer insights into how to age more healthfully, as well as information about our aging brains.

Biology of Aging

(Photo : Photo by SEBASTIEN BOZON/AFP via Getty Images)

Studying the biology of human aging is difficult since the process lasts for many decades. It entails keeping track of individuals for 50, 60, 70, or even longer, which may be time-consuming and costly. Dogs, on the other hand, age fast.

This is terrible for those who adore their pets, says dog lover Kaeberlein. However, it makes dogs an excellent model system for research on aging. (Though Bernese mountain dogs have an average life of seven years and Chihuahuas nearly double that at 13 years, it may be said that a 70-year study of humans is similar to one dog decade.)

Studying dogs has other uses as well. Due to their genetic variability, they are superior animal models to the inbred mouse strains generally employed in aging studies.

And while researchers prefer to examine their subjects in a controlled lab setting, the fact that humans and their pets share homes with a wide range of conditions is beneficial when trying to conclude human aging. A complicated human world cannot be duplicated in a lab setting. However, according to Kaeberlein, there is no need to if you study pet dogs.