Scottish dolphins showing common signs of Alzheimer's
Researchers from Glasgow , Edinburgh and St Andrews Universities say this could help explain why pods of dolphins get stranded
Last updated 19th Dec 2022
Better Clues for Humans
Dolphins stranded in Scotland are showing common signs of Alzheimer’s, research at Glasgow University, Edinburgh University and St Andrews University has revealed.
Researchers believe this could support the ‘sick leader’ theory, where a confused dolphin leads its otherwise healthy pod into dangerously shallow waters.
The paper’s lead author, Dr Mark Dagleish, said: "Studying this might give us better clues into the earliest stages of Alzheimer's
"It might help us in terms of treatment and prevention, but that's a long way down the line."
Further Research Needed
Mr Dagleish added: "We can't say these dolphins have Alzheimer's, because we can't analyse their behaviour to give them a full diagnosis.
"These animals have already been stranded, so we can't test these animals for cognitive deficits.
"We can't conclude that they have Alzheimer's, we just know that it looks similar.
"We'd need to look at captive dolphins and examine their behaviour, their demeanour, their activities."
Many Different Species
The brains of 22 different dolphins, including Risso’s dolphins, long-finned pilot whales, white-beaked dolphins, harbour porpoises and bottlenose dolphins were studied.
It was found that four animals from different dolphin species had some of the brain changes associated with Alzheimer’s disease in humans.
Whales, dolphins and porpoises are regularly stranded around the coasts of the UK. They are often found stranded in groups, or pods, in shallow waters and sometimes on beaches.
The underlying causes of live stranding events are not always clear, and the 'sick leader' hypothesis is one of many theories.