Carollia perspicillata: A Small Bat with Tremendous Translational Potential for Studies of Brain Aging and Neurodegeneration

Abstract

As the average human lifespan lengthens, the impact of neurodegenerative disease increases, both on the individual suffering neurodegeneration and on the community that supports those individuals. Studies aimed at understanding the mechanisms of neurodegeneration have relied heavily on observational studies of humans and experimental studies in animals, such as mice, in which aspects of brain structure and function can be manipulated to target mechanistic steps. An animal model whose brain is structurally closer to the human brain, that lives much longer than rodents, and whose husbandry is practical may be valuable for mechanistic studies that cannot readily be conducted in rodents. To demonstrate that the long-lived Seba’s short-tailed fruit bat, Carollia perspicillata, may fit this role, we used immunohistochemical labeling for NeuN and three calcium-binding proteins, calretinin, parvalbumin, and calbindin, to define hippocampal formation anatomy. Our findings demonstrate patterns of principal neuron organization that resemble primate and human hippocampal formation and patterns of calcium-binding protein distribution that help to define subregional boundaries. Importantly, we present evidence for a clear prosubiculum in the bat brain that resembles primate prosubiculum. Based on the similarities between bat and human hippocampal formation anatomy, we suggest that Carollia has unique advantages for the study of brain aging and neurodegeneration. A captive colony of Carollia allows age tracking, diet and environment control, pharmacological manipulation, and access to behavioral, physiological, anatomical, and molecular evaluation.

The retrosplenial cortex of Carollia perspicillata, Seba's short‐tailed fruit bat

“…Studies of neurodegeneration and function should examine these areas as separate entities as these molecular differences suggest primary differences in function. Together with the impressive lifespan of bat in captivity (reaching up to 13 years), bat provides an interesting and useful model in studying age‐related changes in this brain region (Rasweiler & Badwaik, 1996; Stewart et al, 2021).…”

“…Several features of bat neuroanatomy more closely resemble humans than do rats. For example, bat has a dorsoventrally oriented hippocampus, a distinct caudate and putamen separated by an internal capsule, and a prosubiculum (Orman et al, 2017; Scalia et al, 2013; Smith et al, 2018; Stewart et al, 2021). Additionally, bats can live up to 13 years in captivity (Rasweiler & Badwaik, 1996).…”

“…Additionally, bats can live up to 13 years in captivity (Rasweiler & Badwaik, 1996). This makes bat a useful model for aging, including studies of neurodegeneration in cortical limbic areas like hippocampus and RSC (Stewart et al, 2021).…”