Canine cognitive decline and Alzheimer disease: clinical insights to solve a shared one-health problem

Alzheimer disease (AD) is the leading cause of dementia among older adults. Current AD treatment options are limited, and the absence of appropriate research animals has significantly hindered the development of new AD therapies. Canine cognitive decline (CCD) is a major determinant of morbidity in older animals, with alterations in blood biomarkers, neuropathology, physiology, and behavior comparable to those seen in humans diagnosed with dementia and AD. The one-health goal of achieving optimal health is supported by academics, researchers, and governments. Veterinarians' ability to identify patients in the early stages of CCD is crucial to the successful implementation of interventions that can improve the quality of life of affected dogs. Timely identification of CCD also opens opportunities for innovative interdisciplinary research that will contribute to a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms, early detection, and effective treatments for AD, ultimately benefiting human health as well. Until now, veterinary practitioners have played limited roles as interdisciplinary leaders in the One Health initiative to combat disease. The authors discuss how client-owned animals with spontaneous, naturally occurring CCD can play a significant role as disease-relevant surrogates for translational AD research. The proposed Dogs Overcoming Geriatric Memory and Aging (DOGMA) Study to be conducted in veterinary practices will analyze the relationship between blood biomarkers and biometric behavior in mature and older dogs, with the aim of establishing benchmark CCD data. The DOGMA Study is addressed in the companion Currents in One Health by Hunter et al, AJVR, November 2023.