Visual, auditive and somatosensory pathways alterations in geriatric rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta).

Background: Synapses loss during aging is associated to neurophysiologic alterations that impair organism's health span, thus making the study and prevention of sensory decline relevant for healthy aging and welfare. Therefore the aim of this study was to obtain normative data related to the electrophysiological responses of the different neurosensory components in the visual, auditory and somatosensory pathways in healthy geriatric rhesus monkeys in captivity.

Methods: Twenty-four rhesus monkeys were divided in two groups: (i) Geriatric monkeys, 20-30 years of age, and (ii) Young monkeys, 7 years of age. Evoked potentials were obtained from the visual, auditory and somatosensory pathways.

Results: Regardless the sensory pathways evaluated, a significant delay in nerve conduction was observed in the geriatric group in comparison to the young group.

Conclusions: Evoked potentials allowed identifying changes generated during aging in rhesus monkeys and normative data for this species were obtained.