Volume Editors: Joseph M. Erwin, Rockville, Md. Patrick R. Hof, New York, N.Y. Karger 2002 FROM THE BACK COVER As the number of elderly people in human populations increases, the study of normal aging, age-related disorders, and enhanced longevity is taking on new urgency. Fundamental research will provide means of preventing and effectively treating the most debilitating and distressing aspects of advanced age. Considerations of aging in nonhuman life forms, however, do not aim at life extension, but at an increasing appreciation for the biological role of the aging process in populations, in addition to developing a more comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms of aging. The present volume focuses on primate aging because human characteristics that evolved during their evolution are homologous with those of other primates. Therefore, the research on nonhuman primates will decidedly also contribute to our understanding of the process of human aging. The topics of this volume include brain aging and neurodegenerative diseases, social behavior, cognition and aging, skeletal aging in natural and captive conditions, and consequences of caloric restriction for life and health extension. The great variety of the contributions aim at providing a survey of the relevant work in progress and increasing the understanding of normal and pathological aging and life-span enhancement in a variety of nonhuman primate species. CONTENTS Preface vii One Gerontology: Advancing Understanding of Aging through Studies of Great Apes and Other Primates 1 Erwin, J. M . (Rockville, Md. ); Hof, P.R. (New York, N. Y./Rockville, Md.); Ely, J.J. (Rockville, Md.); Perl, D.P. (New York, N.Y./Rockville, Md.) Skeletal and Dental Evidence of Aging in Captive Western Lowland Gorillas: A Preliminary Report 22 Nichols, K.A. (Boulder, Colo.); Zihlman, A.L. (Santa Cruz, Calif) Skeletal Aging in Macaque Monkeys 32 Colman, R.J.; Binkley, N. (Madison, Wisc.) Getting Old at Gombe: Skeletal Aging in Wild-Ranging Chimpanzees 48 Morbeck, M.E. (Tucson, Ariz.); Galloway, A.(Santa Cruz, Calif ); Sumner, D.R. (Chicago, Ill.) Nutritional Modulation of Aging by Caloric Restriction 63 Mattison, J.A.; Ingram, D.K.; Roth, G.S.; Lane, M.A. (Baltimore, Md.) Methodological Considerations when Studying the Aging Process in the Nonhuman Primate Brain 76 Keuker, J.I.H. (Gottingen/Groningen); Michaelis, T.; de Biurrun, G. (Gottingen); Luiten, P.G.M. (Groningen); Witter, M.R (Amsterdam); Fuchs, E. (Gottingen) Nigrostriatal Function in Aged Nonhuman Primates 102 Emborg, M.E.; Kordower, J.H. (Chicago, 111.) The Brain of the aging Baboon: A Nonhuman Primate Model for Neuronal and Glial Tau Pathology 118 Schultz, C.; del Tredici, K.; Rub, U.; Braak, E. (Frankfurt am Main); Hubbard, G.B. (San Antonio, Tex.); Braak, H. (Frankfurt am Main) Comparative Neuropathology of Brain Aging in Primates 130 Hof, P.R. (New York, N.Y./Rockville, Md.); Gilissen, E.R (Parktown); Sherwood, C.C.; Duan, H.; Lee, P.W.H.; Delman, B.N.; Naidich, T.P.; Gannon, RJ. (New York, N.Y.); Perl, D.P. (New York, N.Y./Rockville, Md.); Erwin, J.M. (Rockville, Md.) The Aged Rhesus Macaque in Neuroscience Research: Importance of the Nonhuman Primate Model 155 Roberts, J.A. (Davis, Calif.) The Rhesus Monkey Model as a Heuristic Resource in Cognitive Aging Research 178 Herndon, J.G.; Lacreuse, A. (Atlanta, Ga.) Comparative Models of Cognitive Decline in aging Great Apes 196 Corr, J.A.; Martin, L.J.; Boysen, S.T. (Columbus, Ohio) The Behavior of Aged Great Apes 209 Tarou, L .R. ; Bloomsmith, M. A. (Atlanta, Ga. ); Hoff, M. P. (Dalton, Ga.) ; Erwin, J.M. (Rockville, Md.); Maple, T.L. (Atlanta, Gal) Author Index 213 Subject Index 234 PREFACE The study of normal aging, age-related disorders, and enhanced longevity is taking on new urgency as the number and percentage of elderly people in human populations increases. Especially notable are the populations that have experienced fluctuations in birth rate, such as the post-World War II 'baby boom' in America. Those in the population 'bubble' are nearing retirement age and are witnessing advanced age and its consequences in their parents. In some cases they see remarkable vitality and a good quality of life beyond the age of 90, but in most cases, they witness progression into frailty, forgetfulness, and failing health. At a time when they are planning their own leisure years, they are faced with difficult personal and social loss, along with overwhelming economic burdens associated with end of life care for their loved ones. These problems require solutions, and the solutions depend on increased knowledge and understanding of the biological bases of aging and its associated disorders. From fundamental research will come means of preventing or effectively treating the most debilitating and distressing aspects of advanced age. Life extension without continuation or enhancement of life quality is not the goal of such research. While we are interested in understanding aging and its consequences, we are not really trying to find a 'cure' for aging in the sense of immortalizing individuals. Consideration of aging in nonhuman life forms has the prospect of increasing appreciation for, and acceptance of, the biological role of the aging process in populations, in addition to developing a more comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms of aging. This volume focuses on primate aging. Humans are but 1 of about 320 species classified by systematists and taxonomists as members of the mammalian order Primates. From an evolutionary biological and genomics perspective, it is important to note that every living primate is literally more like a human than it is like any other living nonprimate animal. While humans share many conserved characteristics with nonprimates, human characteristics that were derived during their evolution are homologous only with those of other primates. Comparative biologists distinguish between homologous and analogous comparisons because the scientific questions that can be addressed by them differ. To the extent that we are seeking to understand derived characteristics, we need to study humans or other primate species that exhibit the characteristics of interest. When we are studying conserved characteristics or simply want an analogous animal model, studying nonprimates can be enormously productive. Our purpose in producing this volume was to provide a sample of the kinds of work in progress intended to increase understanding of normal and pathological aging and life-span enhancement in a variety of nonhuman primate species. The topics include brain aging and neurodegenerative diseases, social behavior, cognition and aging, skeletal aging in natural and captive conditions (including laboratories and zoological gardens), and the consequences of caloric restriction for life and health extension. This collection is clearly not exhaustive in terms of the range of possible topics or species. Fortunately, more scientists are turning their attention to the study of problems related to aging. We are especially pleased that some of these studies seek to identify major adaptive trends across many living primate taxa and that some of these efforts also provide data relevant to life-span development and the evolution of life histories. Much remains to be learned about the population dynamics, survival, and aging of many nonhuman primate species in natural and artificial environments. We hope this volume will stimulate others to fill in gaps of knowledge and to apply data from field studies and zoological gardens, as well as laboratories, to the understanding of aging. We are grateful to the authors for providing excellent manuscripts in a timely manner. With this volume we renew our commitment to promoting the scientific study of aging and primates, and to fostering healthy aging among all primates. Joseph M. Erwin Patrick R. Hof WHERE TO ORDER S. Karger Publishers, Inc. 26 West Avon Road P.O. Box 529 Farmington, CT 06085 Toll free: 1 800 828 5479 Tel. +1 860 675-7834 Fax +1 860 675-7302 E-Mail karger@snet.net PRICE: $172.25 (Hardcover) ISBN: 3-8055-7312-X
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