Scientists have detected signs of Alzheimer’s in the brains of some dolphins that lost their lives by being washed ashore. This could provide a new way to explain why dolphins and whales wash ashore.
Dolphins and whales collectively the remnants of the events they washed ashore even predate the written history of mankind. However, we have no definite information about why these creatures committed suicide by washing up on the shore.
past research, some whale species He managed to find some links between sonar technology and maritime sonar technologies, but we do not have certain information as to why this event occurred. Alzheimer’s may be one of the causes, according to a new study by scientists.
Symptoms of Alzheimer’s in beached dolphins:
including dolphins toothed whales group has some characteristics that are quite similar to humans. For example, the lifespan of these creatures often exceeds their expected lifespan. This causes phenomena such as menopause to occur in these creatures as well.
This situation, scientists’ dolphins Alzheimer’s It is shown as the main point that motivates them to see whether they encounter it or not. Because one of the most common problems people face in their old age is memory impairment due to Alzheimer’s, learning difficulties and communication disorders. A similar situation may apply to dolphins.
The brains of 22 dolphins were studied:
biologist from Leiden University Marissa Vacher A team led by his team examined the brains of 22 beached dolphins to see if they had biochemical traces of Alzheimer’s. Thus, in the life cycle of these creatures you have dementia They wanted to find out if it was possible.
As a result of the investigations from different dolphin species It was determined that amyloid beta plaques were high in the brains of three samples, there were piles of tau protein and hyperphosphorization was observed. Hyperphosphorylation occurs when phosphate binds to all the nerves it can find. The simultaneous appearance of these structures in the brain in humans only happens in Alzheimer’s. Moreover, the areas where the lesions are seen are also Alzheimer’s similar to areas where lesions are seen in humans.
According to researchers leaders whose brains no longer work the way they used toleads their flocks to the shores. Early symptoms of disorders like Alzheimer’s include poor sense of direction, confusion, and impaired perception of time and space, the scientists said.
The research was published in the European Journal of Neuroscience.
Source :
https://www.sciencealert.com/stranded-dolphins-show-signs-of-alzheimers-disease-in-their-brains