2. Academic Validation
  3. An Overview of Animal Models Related to Schizophrenia

An Overview of Animal Models Related to Schizophrenia

  • Can J Psychiatry. 2019 Jan;64(1):5-17. doi: 10.1177/0706743718773728.
Ian R Winship 1,  Serdar M Dursun 2 3,  Glen B Baker 2 3,  Priscila A Balista 4,  Ludmyla Kandratavicius 5,  Joao Paulo Maia-de-Oliveira 3 6,  Jaime Hallak 3 5 7,  John G Howland 8
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 1 Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta.
  • 2 2 Department of Psychiatry, Neurochemical Research Unit and Bebensee Schizophrenia Research Unit, Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta.
  • 3 3 National Institute of Science and Technology-Translational Science, Brazil.
  • 4 4 Department of Pharmacy, Centro Universitario das Faculdades Metropolitanas Unidas, São Paulo, Brazil.
  • 5 5 Department of Neuroscience and Behavior, Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirao Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirao Preto, Brazil.
  • 6 6 Department of Clinical Medicine, Rio Grande do Norte Federal University, Natal, Brazil.
  • 7 7 Department of Psychiatry (NRU), University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta.
  • 8 8 Department of Physiology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.
PMID: 29742910 DOI: 10.1177/0706743718773728
Abstract

Schizophrenia is a heterogeneous psychiatric disorder that is poorly treated with current therapies. In this brief review, we provide an update regarding the use of animal models to study schizophrenia in an attempt to understand its aetiology and develop novel therapeutic strategies. Tremendous progress has been made developing and validating rodent models that replicate the aetiologies, brain pathologies, and behavioural abnormalities associated with schizophrenia in humans. Here, models are grouped into 3 categories-developmental, drug induced, and genetic-to reflect the heterogeneous risk factors associated with schizophrenia. Each of these models is associated with varied but overlapping pathophysiology, endophenotypes, behavioural abnormalities, and cognitive impairments. Studying schizophrenia using multiple models will permit an understanding of the core features of the disease, thereby facilitating preclinical research aimed at the development and validation of better pharmacotherapies to alter the progression of schizophrenia or alleviate its debilitating symptoms.

Keywords

5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT; animal models; dopamine; glutamate; schizophrenia; serotonin).

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