Video: Why study mouse lemurs?

Like humans, mouse lemurs sometimes develop amyloid brain plaques and other Alzheimer's-like symptoms as they age. Because mouse lemurs are primates, they are a closer genetic match to humans than mice or rats are.

The Duke Lemur Center's non-invasive research on these tiny primate cousins could help explain the initial stages of Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative diseases. The Duke team hopes their research will help identify people at risk sooner, before they develop symptoms, or point to new ways to delay onset or slow progression of the disease.