White Matter Fractional Anisotropy in a Nonhuman Primate Model of Early Alzheimer’s Disease‐like Neuropathology: Relationships with Social Status and Physiologic Measures of Stress Responses

Psychosocial stress is associated with micro‐ and macrostructural brain changes that may increase risk of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). White matter (WM) appears particularly vulnerable, and changes in white matter integrity are an early sign of AD pathogenesis. Cynomolgus macaques (Macaca fascicularis) have complex central nervous systems and naturally develop early AD‐like neuropathology with age. Female macaques form social status hierarchies in which subordinates exhibit behavioral and physiological signs of stress, and increased stress‐related pathologies similar to humans. Nonhuman primate studies provide a useful platform in which to assess relationships between stress and brain health is a well‐controlled environment with limited outside influences. Thus, these nonhuman primates are useful translational models for studying relationships of psychosocial stress with early AD‐like neuropathology.