Brain differences between humans and chimpanzees linked to aging
Date: 2.8.2011
Chimpanzees, the closest living relatives to humans, do not experience a decrease in brain volume as they age like humans do, according to a study by George Washington University researcher Chet Sherwood and his colleagues. There are many similarities between the species, but this discovery reveals an important distinction, demonstrating how humans are unique from other animals.
Although other animals experience some cognitive impairment and brain atrophy as they age, it appears that human aging is marked by more dramatic degeneration.
In contrast to humans, who showed a decrease in the volume of all brain structures over the lifespan, chimpanzees did not display significant age-related changes. As a result, the researchers concluded that the brain shrinkage seen in human aging is evolutionarily novel and is the result of an extended lifespan.
For more:
