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The recent progress in animal models of depression
Qingzhong Wang1, Matthew A Timberlake1, Kevin Prall1
1Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, SC711 Sparks Center, 1720 7th Ave South, Birmingham, AL, USA.
Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology & Biological Psychiatry
|April 12, 2017
Summary
Animal models offer a controlled environment to study major depression disorder (MDD) mechanisms, overcoming limitations of human tissue samples. This review details depression models, their outcomes, challenges, and future strategies for understanding depression vulnerability and resilience.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
- Animal Models
Background:
- Major depression disorder (MDD) is a severe mental illness with unknown underlying mechanisms.
- Human tissue samples (blood, brain) present confounding variables (medication, age, post-mortem interval).
Purpose of the Study:
- To review widely used animal models of depression.
- To delineate behavioral and neurobiological outcomes of each model.
- To identify challenges and suggest strategies for studying MDD mechanisms.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of established animal models for depression.
- Analysis of behavioral and neurobiological data from these models.
- Discussion of limitations and future research directions.
Main Results:
- Animal models allow controlled investigation of neural circuitry, molecular, and cellular pathways.
- Pharmacological and gene-editing manipulations are feasible in animal models.
- Key features, challenges, and outcomes of various depression models are presented.
Conclusions:
- Animal models are crucial for understanding MDD mechanisms due to experimental control.
- Addressing current challenges can enhance the utility of animal models for depression research.
- Further strategies are needed to elucidate factors influencing vulnerability and resilience to MDD.