Title:Behavioral Tasks Evaluating Schizophrenia-like Symptoms in Animal Models: A Recent Update
Volume: 19
Issue: 5
Author(s): Mary Jasmin Ang, Sueun Lee, Jong-Choon Kim, Sung-Ho Kim and Changjong Moon*
Affiliation:
- Department of Veterinary Anatomy and Animal Behavior, College of Veterinary Medicine and BK21 Plus Project Team, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61186,South Korea
Keywords:
Schizophrenia, symptom, behavioral task, animal model, genetic, environment.
Abstract:
Background: Schizophrenia is a serious mental illness that affects more than 21 million
people worldwide. Both genetics and the environment play a role in its etiology and pathogenesis.
Symptoms of schizophrenia are mainly categorized into positive, negative, and cognitive. One major
approach to identify and understand these diverse symptoms in humans has been to study behavioral
phenotypes in a range of animal models of schizophrenia.
Objective: We aimed to provide a comprehensive review of the behavioral tasks commonly used
for measuring schizophrenia-like behaviors in rodents together with an update of the recent study
findings.
Methods: Articles describing phenotypes of schizophrenia-like behaviors in various animal models
were collected through a literature search in Google Scholar, PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus,
with a focus on advances over the last 10 years.
Results: Numerous studies have used a range of animal models and behavioral paradigms of schizophrenia
to develop antipsychotic drugs for improved therapeutics. In establishing animal models
of schizophrenia, the candidate models were evaluated for schizophrenia-like behaviors using several
behavioral tasks for positive, negative, and cognitive symptoms designed to verify human symptoms
of schizophrenia. Such validated animal models were provided as rapid preclinical avenues
for drug testing and mechanistic studies.
Conclusion: Based on the most recent advances in the field, it is apparent that a myriad of behavior
tests are needed to confirm and evaluate the congruency of animal models with the numerous
behaviors and clinical signs exhibited by patients with schizophrenia.
