title: Developing better and more valid animal models of brain disorders.
abstract: Valid sensitive animal models are crucial for understanding the pathobiology of complex human disorders, such as anxiety, autism, depression and schizophrenia, which all have the 'spectrum' nature. Discussing new important strategic directions of research in this field, here we focus i) on cross-species validation of animal models, ii) ensuring their population (external) validity, and iii) the need to target the interplay between multiple disordered domains. We note that optimal animal models of brain disorders should target evolutionary conserved 'core' traits/domains and specifically mimic the clinically relevant inter-relationships between these domains.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience Program, ZENEREI Institute and the International Zebrafish Neuroscience Research Consortium (ZNRC), Slidell, LA, USA.
authors.forename: Adam Michael
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Stewart
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience Program, ZENEREI Institute and the International Zebrafish Neuroscience Research Consortium (ZNRC), Slidell, LA, USA. Electronic address: avkalueff@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Allan V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Kalueff
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D001523:Mental Disorders; D054928:Validation Studies as Topic
keywords: Animal model; Biological psychiatry; Domain interplay; Model validity; Translational neuroscience