Animal Models of Schizophrenia with a Focus on Models Targeting NMDA Receptors

Authors: Svojanovská, M., Stuchlík, A.,

Abstract

Schizophrenia is a serious and often devastating disease, affecting approximately 1% of worldwide population. Animal models represent a suitable way for investigating serious brain diseases in preclinical research. Animal models of schizophrenia can be generally divided into several categories that include pharmacological, genetic and neurodevelopmental models. Pharmacological models are usually based on application of specific receptor ligands for neurotransmitters. Genetic models are created by genetic manipulations (mutations; often in laboratory mice). Neurodevelopmental models are induced by manipulations in early stages of life of the laboratory animal. They are manifested later in juvenile or adult age by phenotypes that are similar to schizophrenia symptoms. This review summarizes and discusses pharmacological models of schizophrenia based on application of NMDA receptor antagonists; furthermore, the study focuses on selected genetic and neurodevelopmental models.

Keywords

Schizophrenia, animal models, pharmacological models, genetic models, neurodevelopmental models, preclinical studies

Volume 4 Issue 1/2015 Full text