scholarly journals New Horizons for Phenotyping Behavior in Rodents: The Example of Depressive-Like Behavior

2022 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hugo Leite-Almeida ◽  
Magda J. Castelhano-Carlos ◽  
Nuno Sousa

The evolution of the field of behavioral neuroscience is significantly dependent on innovative disruption triggered by our ability to model and phenotype animal models of neuropsychiatric disorders. The ability to adequately elicit and measure behavioral parameters are the fundaments on which the behavioral neuroscience community establishes the pathophysiological mechanisms of neuropsychiatric disorders as well as contributes to the development of treatment strategies for those conditions. Herein, we review how mood disorders, in particular depression, are currently modeled in rodents, focusing on the limitations of these models and particularly on the analyses of the data obtained with different behavioral tests. Finally, we propose the use of new paradigms to study behavior using multidimensional strategies that better encompasses the complexity of psychiatric conditions, namely depression; these paradigms provide holistic phenotyping that is applicable to other conditions, thus promoting the emergence of novel findings that will leverage this field.

2014 ◽  
Vol 66 (3) ◽  
pp. 1105-1115 ◽  
Author(s):  
Radu Lefter ◽  
Dumitru Cojocaru ◽  
Alin Ciobica ◽  
Manuel Paulet ◽  
Lacramioara Serban ◽  
...  

We will review the main animal models for the major neuropsychiatric disorders, focusing on schizophrenia, Alzheimer?s disease, Parkinson?s disease, depression, anxiety and autism. Although these mental disorders are specifically human pathologies and therefore impossible to perfectly replicate in animals, the use of experimental animals is based on the physiological and anatomical similarities between humans and animals such as the rat, and mouse, and on the fact that 99% of human and murine genomes are shared. Pathological conditions in animals can be assessed by manipulating the metabolism of neurotransmitters, through various behavioral tests, and by determining biochemical parameters that can serve as important markers of disorders.


2019 ◽  
Vol 42 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicole M. Baran

AbstractReductionist thinking in neuroscience is manifest in the widespread use of animal models of neuropsychiatric disorders. Broader investigations of diverse behaviors in non-model organisms and longer-term study of the mechanisms of plasticity will yield fundamental insights into the neurobiological, developmental, genetic, and environmental factors contributing to the “massively multifactorial system networks” which go awry in mental disorders.


Author(s):  
Mikhail V. Pletnikov ◽  
Christopher A. Ross

Despite the recent advances in research into schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, the neurobiology of these maladies remains poorly understood. Animal models can be instrumental in elucidating the underlying mechanisms of neuropsychiatric disorders. Early animal models of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder used lesion methods, pharmacologic challenges or environmental interventions to mimic pathogenic features of the diseases. The recent progress in genetics has stimulated the development of etiological models that have begun to provide insight into pathogenesis. In this review, we evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the existing genetic mouse models of schizophrenia and discuss potential developments for the future.


2015 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 133-142 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. T. Reid ◽  
B. Eksteen

AbstractAssociated with the obesity epidemic, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become the leading liver disease in North America. Approximately 30 % of patients with NAFLD may develop non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) that can lead to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Frequently animal models are used to help identify underlying factors contributing to NAFLD including insulin resistance, dysregulated lipid metabolism and mitochondrial stress. However, studying the inflammatory, progressive nature of NASH in the context of obesity has proven to be a challenge in mice. Although the development of effective treatment strategies for NAFLD and NASH is gaining momentum, the field is hindered by a lack of a concise animal model that reflects the development of liver disease during obesity and the metabolic syndrome. Therefore, selecting an animal model to study NAFLD or NASH must be done carefully to ensure the optimal application. The most widely used animal models have been reviewed highlighting their advantages and disadvantages to studying NAFLD and NASH specifically in the context of obesity.


2019 ◽  
Vol 115 (13) ◽  
pp. 1838-1849 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christian Riehle ◽  
Johann Bauersachs

Abstract Heart disease is a major cause of death worldwide with increasing prevalence, which urges the development of new therapeutic strategies. Over the last few decades, numerous small animal models have been generated to mimic various pathomechanisms contributing to heart failure (HF). Despite some limitations, these animal models have greatly advanced our understanding of the pathogenesis of the different aetiologies of HF and paved the way to understanding the underlying mechanisms and development of successful treatments. These models utilize surgical techniques, genetic modifications, and pharmacological approaches. The present review discusses the strengths and limitations of commonly used small animal HF models, which continue to provide crucial insight and facilitate the development of new treatment strategies for patients with HF.


Metabolites ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 72 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elke Humer ◽  
Thomas Probst ◽  
Christoph Pieh

Biomarkers are a recent research target within biological factors of psychiatric disorders. There is growing evidence for deriving biomarkers within psychiatric disorders in serum or urine samples in humans, however, few studies have investigated this differentiation in brain or cerebral fluid samples in psychiatric disorders. As brain samples from humans are only available at autopsy, animal models are commonly applied to determine the pathogenesis of psychiatric diseases and to test treatment strategies. The aim of this review is to summarize studies on biomarkers in animal models for psychiatric disorders. For depression, anxiety and addiction disorders studies, biomarkers in animal brains are available. Furthermore, several studies have investigated psychiatric medication, e.g., antipsychotics, antidepressants, or mood stabilizers, in animals. The most notable changes in biomarkers in depressed animal models were related to the glutamate-γ-aminobutyric acid-glutamine-cycle. In anxiety models, alterations in amino acid and energy metabolism (i.e., mitochondrial regulation) were observed. Addicted animals showed several biomarkers according to the induced drugs. In summary, animal models provide some direct insights into the cellular metabolites that are produced during psychiatric processes. In addition, the influence on biomarkers due to short- or long-term medication is a noticeable finding. Further studies should combine representative animal models and human studies on cerebral fluid to improve insight into mental disorders and advance the development of novel treatment strategies.


2009 ◽  
Vol 2009 ◽  
pp. 1-5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vikrant Mittal ◽  
Sunanda Muralee ◽  
Rajesh R. Tampi

Valproic acid and its derivatives are commonly used to treat many psychiatric conditions in the elderly. Hyperammonemia is a less common but important side effect of these drugs. The elderly patient appears highly vulnerable to this side effect of this group of medications. In this paper, we systematically review the published literature for hyperammonemia induced by valproic acid and its derivatives. We describe the three reported cases and review possible treatment strategies for this condition.


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