[Pharmacologic models of memory disorders in pathology].
Some drugs induce memory impairments that resemble those observed in neurological and psychiatric disorders. It has therefore been suggested that these drugs might be used as models of these disorders. The concepts and methods developed by cognitive neuropsychology to investigate memory impairments are analysed. The interest and limitations of pharmacological models are discussed and illustrated by the benzodiazepine model of organic amnesia. It is concluded that the validity of a pharmacological model has to be defined in terms of face, construct and predictive validity and assessed according to the aims of modelization.
Danion
J M
JM
INSERM Unité 405 Psychopathologie et Pharmacologie de la Cognition, Strasbourg, France.
Vidailhet
P
P
D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006801:Humans; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000473:pathology*