Reduction and Refinement Applied to Animal Models

Reductionist thinking and animal models in neuropsychiatric research

Behavioral and Brain Sciences ◽

10.1017/s0140525x18001231 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 42 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Nicole M. Baran

Keyword(s):

Animal Models ◽

Mental Disorders ◽

Environmental Factors ◽

Neuropsychiatric Disorders ◽

Model Organisms ◽

Developmental Genetic ◽

Term Study ◽

Genetic And Environmental Factors ◽

Mechanisms Of Plasticity

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.

Download Full-text

Inflammational Animal Models for Schizophrenia

Zeitschrift für Psychologie ◽

10.1027/2151-2604/a000216 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 223 (3) ◽

pp. 157-164 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Georg Juckel

Keyword(s):

Animal Model ◽

Animal Models ◽

Immune Activation ◽

Microglial Activation ◽

Treatment Options ◽

Early Adulthood ◽

Brain Regions ◽

Synaptic Connections ◽

Preventive Interventions ◽

Immunological System

Abstract. Inflammational-immunological processes within the pathophysiology of schizophrenia seem to play an important role. Early signals of neurobiological changes in the embryonal phase of brain in later patients with schizophrenia might lead to activation of the immunological system, for example, of cytokines and microglial cells. Microglia then induces – via the neurotoxic activities of these cells as an overreaction – a rarification of synaptic connections in frontal and temporal brain regions, that is, reduction of the neuropil. Promising inflammational animal models for schizophrenia with high validity can be used today to mimic behavioral as well as neurobiological findings in patients, for example, the well-known neurochemical alterations of dopaminergic, glutamatergic, serotonergic, and other neurotransmitter systems. Also the microglial activation can be modeled well within one of this models, that is, the inflammational PolyI:C animal model of schizophrenia, showing a time peak in late adolescence/early adulthood. The exact mechanism, by which activated microglia cells then triggers further neurodegeneration, must now be investigated in broader detail. Thus, these animal models can be used to understand the pathophysiology of schizophrenia better especially concerning the interaction of immune activation, inflammation, and neurodegeneration. This could also lead to the development of anti-inflammational treatment options and of preventive interventions.

Download Full-text