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Cognitive dysfunction in naturally occurring canine idiopathic epilepsy.
Rowena M A Packer1, Paul D McGreevy2, Hannah E Salvin2
1Department of Clinical Science and Services, Royal Veterinary College, Hatfield, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom.
Plos One
|February 9, 2018
Summary
Dogs with epilepsy show higher risks of cognitive dysfunction, especially at younger ages. Lighter weight and less training also increase risk, unlike older control dogs.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Neurology
- Comparative Cognition
- Neurodegenerative Diseases
Background:
- Epilepsy is a global brain disorder linked to cognitive impairments, including dementia.
- Canine cognitive dysfunction (CCD) offers a spontaneous model for studying dementia.
- The cognitive impact of epilepsy in dogs remains understudied.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate cognitive dysfunction in dogs with idiopathic epilepsy (IE) compared to controls.
- To identify factors associated with cognitive decline in epileptic dogs.
- To compare cognitive impairment patterns in IE dogs with classical CCD.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from the Canine Cognitive Dysfunction Rating (CCDR) scale.
- Conducted an online cross-sectional study with 4051 dogs (286 with IE).
- Analyzed factors including epilepsy diagnosis, age, weight, and training history.
Main Results:
- Epilepsy diagnosis, older age, lighter weight, and less training were associated with higher CCD risk.
- Memory impairments were common in IE dogs, but progression wasn't observed.
- IE dogs showed increased CCD risk at younger ages compared to controls.
Conclusions:
- Epilepsy significantly increases CCD risk in dogs, particularly at younger ages.
- Cognitive impairment patterns in IE dogs differ from typical CCD.
- Further longitudinal studies are needed to understand cognitive changes in epileptic dogs.
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