Designing primate models to assess the prodromal phase of Huntington's disease

Huntington's disease (HD) is an inherited autosomal-dominant neurodegenerative disorder characterized by frontal-type cognitive deficits, involuntary choreiform movements and progressive neuronal degeneration, primarily affecting the caudate-putamen complex. There is currently no effective therapy for this disorder. Numerous efforts are directed towards the search and validation of new therapies to prevent or slow down disease progression. To this end, different animal models, including in nonhuman primates, have been developed to mimic the early phase of neuronal dysfunction that precedes degeneration in this pathology. The present manuscript provides a critical evaluation of existing and currently developed primate models of Huntington's disease. Their pertinence and predictability for the evaluation of innovative therapeutic strategies are also discussed.