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Lost in translation: toward clinically effective translational research
Valerie Tze Yeen Tan1, Ryan D Ward2
1Department of Psychological Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
Translational Psychiatry
|November 17, 2025
Summary
Current treatments for mood and anxiety disorders are ineffective due to flawed translational research. A greater focus on environmental, social, and psychological factors is crucial for developing effective treatments.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
- Translational Research
Background:
- Mood and anxiety disorder prevalence is rising despite increased psychotropic drug availability.
- Current treatment approaches are broadly ineffective, suggesting systemic issues in research and practice.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the inefficacy of current translational research models in neuroscience and psychiatry.
- To identify limitations in animal models and diagnostic frameworks for mood and anxiety disorders.
- To propose a new research strategy focusing on contextual factors.
Main Methods:
- Review of animal studies and patient data.
- Analysis of current diagnostic frameworks and drug targets.
- Evaluation of translational research methodologies.
Main Results:
- Existing methods fail to adequately capture disorder symptoms or drug effects in animal models.
- Diagnostic frameworks do not fully represent the complexity of mood disorders in humans.
- This leads to a self-reinforcing cycle of translational research inefficacy.
Conclusions:
- The current reductionist approach, focusing on single biological causes, is insufficient.
- Integrating environmental, social, and psychological contexts is essential for effective translational models.
- A paradigm shift is needed to improve treatment outcomes for mood and anxiety disorders.
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