Octodon degus: a natural animal model of aging and Alzheimer's disease

The study of aging and age-related diseases has traditionally focused on short-lived laboratory species such as mice. The common degu (Octodon degus) is a long-lived rodent species native to Chile that naturally develops neuropathology and behavioral deficits characteristic of Alzheimer’s disease together with other comorbidities associated with aging. These characteristics make the degu a useful model to gain insights into the interaction of aging and neurodegeneration.