Signs of 'full-blown' Alzheimer's Disease discovered in dolphins for the first time

(Representational image)

New Delhi: Till date, Alzheimer's Disease (AD) was known to victimise only humans, but now for the first time, scientists have spotted signs of the disease in a wild animal.

Known as one of the most intelligent animal species, dolphins' brains have showed symptoms of 'full-blown' AD, according to scientists.

Since dolphins, like humans, can go on living for many years after they are capable of reproducing, the findings suggest that it may be among the costs of a long lifespan.

The study suggests alterations in insulin function may leave both humans and dolphins susceptible to the disease.

According to a report in the Daily Mail, Professor Simon Lovestone, an old age psychiatrist from Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust said, ‘It is very rare to find signs of full-blown Alzheimer’s disease in non-human brains.’

‘This is the first time anyone has found such clear evidence of the protein plaques and tangles associated with Alzheimer’s disease in the brain of a wild animal.’

In the study, an international team of researchers examined the bodies of dolphins who had died after washing ashore on the Spanish coast.

This revealed dolphins also exhibit the tell-tale signs of Alzheimer’s – notably, the beta amyloid protein plaques and ‘tangles’ of another protein, tau.

According to the team, this is likely associated with insulin function, the Daily Mail reported.

Insulin is responsible for regulating blood sugar levels and triggers what's known as 'insulin signalling'.

Insulin signaling has the effect of prolonging lifespan beyond the fertile years, but it also opens a window to diabetes and Alzheimer’s Disease.