# Radiographic Assessment of Spinal Degeneration in Vervet Monkeys (Chlorocebus aethiops): Prevalence, Patterns, and Relevance to Primate Aging Models

## TL;DR

This study examines spinal degeneration in vervet monkeys, finding that age strongly predicts osteophyte formation, with the lumbar spine affected earliest.

## Contribution

The study provides baseline data on spinal aging patterns in vervet monkeys, supporting their use as a model for primate musculoskeletal senescence.

## Key findings

- Osteophytes were the most common spinal lesion, with lumbar onset occurring earliest (~1 year).
- Age was the strongest predictor of osteophyte presence and cumulative burden.
- Findings support vervet monkeys as a relevant model for studying primate spinal aging.

## Abstract

Degenerative changes of the vertebral column are common in aging primates; however, patterns of spinal osteopathy remain poorly characterized across small‐ and medium‐bodied primate species, limiting comparative interpretations of skeletal aging. Expanding assessments beyond well‐studied taxa provides a broader framework for understanding primate musculoskeletal senescence and generates baseline data essential for interpreting vertebral degeneration in wild and semi‐free‐ranging populations, where ecological and life‐history factors influence skeletal aging. We investigated age‐, sex‐, and body mass–related variation in vertebral osteopathies radiographically assessed in 70 captive vervet monkeys (Chlorocebus aethiops). Osteophytes were the most frequent lesion (78.6%), followed by discopathy (12.7%), syndesmophytes (2.9%), and scoliosis (1.4%). Age was the primary predictor of osteophyte presence across spinal regions, whereas sex and body mass showed no significant independent effects. In contrast, total osteophyte scores were significantly higher in older, heavier individuals, and females exhibited slightly higher adjusted scores than males. Nonlinear regression models revealed distinct age‐related trajectories among spinal regions, with osteophytes emerging earliest in the lumbar spine (~ 1 year), followed by the cervical (~ 7 years) and thoracic (~ 9 years) regions. These findings characterize the natural history of spinal degeneration in vervet monkeys under captive conditions and provide comparative baseline data for distinguishing age‐related changes from pathological alterations in both captive and free‐ranging primate populations.

Radiographic assessment of 70 vervet monkeys maintained under human care revealed a high prevalence of age‐related spinal degeneration, with osteophytes predominantly affecting the lumbar spine.Age was the strongest predictor of osteophyte presence and cumulative burden, with region‐specific trajectories showing earliest onset in the lumbar vertebrae.Findings provide comparative baseline data for interpreting spinal aging in primates and support Chlorocebus aethiops as a relevant model for musculoskeletal senescence research.

Radiographic assessment of 70 vervet monkeys maintained under human care revealed a high prevalence of age‐related spinal degeneration, with osteophytes predominantly affecting the lumbar spine.

Age was the strongest predictor of osteophyte presence and cumulative burden, with region‐specific trajectories showing earliest onset in the lumbar vertebrae.

Findings provide comparative baseline data for interpreting spinal aging in primates and support Chlorocebus aethiops as a relevant model for musculoskeletal senescence research.

Radiographic evaluation of 70 vervet monkeys (Chlorocebus aethiops) maintained under human care revealed a high prevalence of age‐related spinal degeneration. Osteophytes emerged earliest and most prominently in the lumbar region. These region‐specific patterns parallel those reported in other catarrhine primates, supporting C. aethiops as a comparative model for spinal aging.