Diffusion tensor imaging analysis of aged dogs with and without canine cognitive dysfunction

These results demonstrate that DTI can detect changes in white matter integrity in the canine brain in both CCD and cognitively healthy aged dogs. Our findings suggest that axonal degeneration, as reflected by increased MD and RD values, correlates with worsening cognitive impairment. These patterns align with findings reported in Alzheimer's disease and support the potential use of DTI to monitor neuropathological progression in dogs with CCD. Overall, our results highlight the utility of DTI in characterizing structural brain changes associated with CCD and reinforce the translational relevance of CCD as a model for AD. Further research is required to determine whether DTI can reliably differentiate CCD from normal aging in clinical settings.