Robert McGeachan has just published new research, showing a key link between a toxic protein build-up and the loss of brain connections in older cats. Could cats serve as a powerful natural model of Alzheimer’s? Cats get dementia, too! Robert McGeachan (R(D)SVS), supervised by Tara Spires-Jones and Claire Durrant, has just published new research, showing a key link between a toxic protein build-up and the loss of brain connections in older cats.Could cats serve as a powerful natural model of Alzheimer’s, closer to the human condition than genetically engineered mice?This opens the door to studying how to protect brain connections and to test new therapies that simultaneously help both cats and humans with dementia.Longer-term thought: Could cats benefit from anti-amyloid therapies that have recently been approved to treat human Alzheimer's disease?The story has been been well-covered in the media, from the BBC to SkyNews, The Times, The Mirror, The Daily Express and the Daily Mail. Read the full paper in the European Journal of Neuroscience: Amyloid-Beta Pathology Increases Synaptic Engulfment by Glia in Feline Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome: A Naturally Occurring Model of Alzheimer's Disease Publication date 25 Aug, 2025
