Age-Related Decrease in Interthalamic Adhesion Thickness in Cats Without Apparent Cognitive Dysfunction
- 1Department of Morphology, Imaging, Orthopedics, Rehabilitation, and Nutrition, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, , 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium
- 2Small Animal Diagnostic Imaging Department, Veterinary Hospital, Oniris College of Veterinary Medicine Food Science and Engineering, 44300 Nantes, France (M.F.)
Abstract
Feline cognitive dysfunction syndrome is an age-related condition that can cause changes in behavior. It is difficult to diagnose because the clinical signs may be subtle and can also occur with other medical conditions. Brain magnetic resonance imaging may help identify objective changes associated with brain aging, but normal reference information in cats is limited. This study examined the interthalamic adhesion, which is a small cerebral structure already studied for cognitive dysfunction in dogs and humans. Brain scans from 112 cats aged 4 months to 18 years without reported signs of cognitive dysfunction were reviewed. The thickness of this structure decreased with age and was particularly smaller in the oldest age groups. This association persisted after accounting for brain dimensions, sex and neuter status, breed group, and MRI scanner, and after excluding kittens or cats of brachycephalic breeds. These findings provide additional information on age-associated brain measurements in cats undergoing clinical imaging. However, they do not establish whether this measurement can distinguish aging without cognitive dysfunction from feline cognitive dysfunction syndrome. Further studies comparing cats with and without confirmed cognitive dysfunction, using standardized behavioral assessments and imaging protocols, are needed before its diagnostic value can be determined.
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BibTeX
@article{kerbratcopy2026agerelated,
title = {{Age-Related Decrease in Interthalamic Adhesion Thickness in Cats Without Apparent Cognitive Dysfunction}},
author = {Réjane Kerbrat-Copy and Océane Thérier and Marion Fusellier},
journal = {Animals : an open access journal from MDPI},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3390/ani16203317},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13700864},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Age-Related Decrease in Interthalamic Adhesion Thickness in Cats Without Apparent Cognitive Dysfunction
AU - Réjane Kerbrat-Copy
AU - Océane Thérier
AU - Marion Fusellier
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/01
JO - Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
DO - 10.3390/ani16203317
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13700864
AB - Feline cognitive dysfunction syndrome is an age-related condition that can cause changes in behavior. It is difficult to diagnose because the clinical signs may be subtle and can also occur with other medical conditions. Brain magnetic resonance imaging may help identify objective changes associated with brain aging, but normal reference information in cats is limited. This study examined the interthalamic adhesion, which is a small cerebral structure already studied for cognitive dysfunction in dogs and humans. Brain scans from 112 cats aged 4 months to 18 years without reported signs of cognitive dysfunction were reviewed. The thickness of this structure decreased with age and was particularly smaller in the oldest age groups. This association persisted after accounting for brain dimensions, sex and neuter status, breed group, and MRI scanner, and after excluding kittens or cats of brachycephalic breeds. These findings provide additional information on age-associated brain measurements in cats undergoing clinical imaging. However, they do not establish whether this measurement can distinguish aging without cognitive dysfunction from feline cognitive dysfunction syndrome. Further studies comparing cats with and without confirmed cognitive dysfunction, using standardized behavioral assessments and imaging protocols, are needed before its diagnostic value can be determined.
SN - 2076-2615
ER -