Vikartovska Zuzana, Farbakova Jana, Smolek Tomas, Hanes Jozef, Zilka Norbert, Hornakova Lubica, Humenik Filip, Maloveska Marcela, Hudakova Nikola, Cizkova Dasa
Center for Experimental and Clinical Regenerative Medicine, University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy in Košice, Košice, Slovakia.
Institute of Neuroimmunology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia.
Front Vet Sci. 2021 Jan 15;7:551895. doi: 10.3389/fvets.2020.551895. eCollection 2020.
Canine cognitive dysfunction syndrome (CCDS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder in senior dogs that is mainly associated with decreased ability to learn and respond to stimuli. It is commonly under-diagnosed because behavioral changes are often attributed to the natural process of aging. In the present study, we used for the first time a comprehensive approach enabling early diagnosis of canine patients with mild cognitive disorders (MiCI). We included nine mentia cale (CADES) questionnaires, biochemical parameters, and biomarkers in blood serum, and correlated them with post-mortem histopathological changes. The CADES questionnaires enabled us to identify MiCI dogs developing changes mainly in domains corresponding to social interaction and spatial orientation, which seems to be crucial for delineating early cognitive disorders. Biochemical analyses in these dogs showed slightly elevated liver enzyme parameters (AST and ALT) and significantly decreased sodium and chloride levels in blood serum. Furthermore, we describe for the first time a significant increase of neurofilament light chain (NFL) in blood serum of MiCI dogs, compared to normal aging seniors and young controls, but no changes in TAU protein and amyloid-β (Aβ42) peptide levels. In canine brains with cognitive impairment, amyloid plaques of mainly diffuse and dense types were detected. Furthermore, activated microglia with amoeboid body and dystrophic processes occurred, in some cases with spheroidal and bulbous swellings. On the other hand, no TAU pathology or neurofibrillary tangles were detected. These results suggest that a combination of CADES questionnaire mainly with CNS injury biomarker (NFL) and with biochemical parameters (ALT, AST, Na, and Cl) in blood serum may predict CCDS in senior dogs.
犬认知功能障碍综合征（CCDS）是老年犬的一种进行性神经退行性疾病，主要与学习能力和对刺激的反应能力下降有关。它常常被漏诊，因为行为变化往往被归因于自然衰老过程。在本研究中，我们首次采用了一种综合方法来早期诊断患有轻度认知障碍（MiCI）的犬类患者。我们纳入了九份痴呆量表（CADES）问卷、生化参数以及血清中的生物标志物，并将它们与死后组织病理学变化进行关联。CADES问卷使我们能够识别出主要在与社交互动和空间定向相对应的领域出现变化的MiCI犬，这对于界定早期认知障碍似乎至关重要。对这些犬的生化分析显示肝酶参数（AST和ALT）略有升高，血清中的钠和氯水平显著降低。此外，我们首次描述了与正常老龄犬和年轻对照相比，MiCI犬血清中神经丝轻链（NFL）显著增加，但TAU蛋白和淀粉样β（Aβ42）肽水平没有变化。在有认知障碍的犬脑中，检测到主要为弥漫型和致密型的淀粉样斑块。此外，出现了具有阿米巴样体和营养不良性病变的活化小胶质细胞，在某些情况下伴有球状和球茎状肿胀。另一方面，未检测到TAU病理学改变或神经原纤维缠结。这些结果表明，CADES问卷主要与中枢神经系统损伤生物标志物（NFL）以及血清中的生化参数（ALT、AST、Na和Cl）相结合，可能预测老年犬的CCDS。
