Sex Differences in Cognitive Aging
Here, an old female is tested on measures of cognitive function using the CANTAB (Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery) on a touchscreen computer. When she touches the correct stimulus, she receives a banana milkshake reward. After testing (5 - 10 minutes) she is able to return to her home cage with her cage mate.
Female marmosets are more vulnerable to age-related cognitive decline than males
We have conducted a longitudinal study in marmosets followed from middle-aged to old age to determine the neural correlates of sex differences in age-related cognitive decline. The animals were assessed for cognitive function (CANTAB battery), emotional reactivity, brain activity and motor function- This work is in collaboration with Dr. Jean King (UMass Medical School), Dr. Luke Remage-Healey (UMass Amherst) and Dr. Patrick Hof (Mount Sinai School of Medicine). The findings demonstrate that female marmosets show earlier and greater age-related cognitive decline than males (Rothwell et al., 2022). We need to identify physiological and behavioral markers of this differential vulnerability to cognitive aging.
Our aging project is currently funded by grant R01 AG046266; Dr. Emily Rothwell is funded by F32 064925.
Papers on This Topic
Rothwell, E.S., Workman, K.P., Wang, D. & Lacreuse, A. (2022). Sex differences in cognitive aging: a 4-year longitudinal study in marmosets. Neurobiology of Aging. DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2021.09.015. PMCID: PMC8841951.Lacreuse, A., Kim, C. B., Rosene, D. L., Killiany, R. J., Moss, M. B., Moore, T. L., . . . Herndon, J. G. (2005). Sex, age, and training modulate spatial memory in the rhesus monkey (Macaca mulatta). Behav Neurosci, 119(1), 118-126.
Vaughan, E, Le, A, Casey, M, Workman, K & Lacreuse, A (2019). Baseline cortisol levels and social behavior differ as a function of handedness in marmosets (Callithrix jacchus). American Journal of Primatology. e23057.
LaClair M, Febo M, Nephew B, Gervais NJ, Poirier G, Workman K, Chumachenko S, Payne L, Moore MC, King JA & Lacreuse, A. (2019). Sex differences in cognitive flexibility and resting brain networks in middle-aged marmosets. eneuro:ENEURO.0154-19.2019.
Workman, K.P. Healey, B., Carlotto, A. and Lacreuse, A. (2019). One-year change in cognitive flexibility and fine motor function in middle-aged male and female marmosets (Callithrix jacchus). American Journal of Primatology, 81, 2, e22924.
Lacreuse, A., Moore, C. M., LaClair, M., Payne, L., & King, J. A. (2018). Glutamine/Glutamate (Glx) concentration in prefrontal cortex predicts reversal learning performance in the marmoset. Behav Brain Res,
LaClair, M., & Lacreuse, A. (2016). Reversal learning in gonadectomized marmosets with and without hormone replacement: are males more sensitive to punishment? Animal Cognition, 19(3), 619-630.
Lacreuse, A., Diehl, M. M., Goh, M. Y., Hall, M. J., Volk, A. M., Chhabra, R. K., & Herndon, J. G. (2005). Sex differences in age-related motor slowing in the rhesus monkey: behavioral and neuroimaging data. Neurobiol Aging, 26(4), 543-551.