Modeling cerebral palsy in animals

Advancements in the treatment of cerebral palsy depend on animal research. Yet, most animal models have not been fully evaluated for spasticity and dystonia using clinically relevant measures of altered tone or movement patterns, which form the basis for diagnosing people with the condition. Sensory differences and pain are almost never studied in animal models. Complicating factors include the diversity of animals and injuries used to model the condition, the diversity of outcomes after acquired injury, and translating clinical measures into reliable and repeatable measurements tailored to animals, ideally using common data elements. We summarize preclinical models based on acquired injury to the nervous system in cerebral palsy research over the years and provide a comparison of developmental time courses for common laboratory animals. We encourage researchers to coalesce on consistent, reliable measurements for assessing both sensory and motor systems to ensure that animal models reflect meaningful aspects of the condition.