Qui non proficit, deficit: experimental models for 'integrative' research of affective disorders.
Experimental models are an important tool for the study of biological mechanisms of psychiatric disorders. Although encouraging progress has been made in biological psychiatry of affective disorders, there remain numerous methodological, conceptual, and translational challenges in this field. Mounting clinical data support the view that psychiatric disorders as spectra, rather than as discrete or isolated illnesses. This requires new theories as well as new animal paradigms for "integrative" modeling of psychiatric disorders and their spectra. Here we discuss recent "integrative" experimental models and concepts that promise to advance translational research of affective disorders.
Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Georgetown University Medical School, Washington, DC 20057, USA.
Justin L
JL
LaPorte
Rupert J
RJ
Egan
Peter C
PC
Hart
Carisa L
CL
Bergner
Jonathan M
JM
Cachat
Peter R
PR
Canavello
Allan V
AV
Kalueff
D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000235:genetics; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D008957:Models, Genetic; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D010641:Phenotype; D051381:Rats; D012106:Research; D012931:Social Environment