As the number of Alzheimer's Disease (AD) cases continues to climb
throughout the third decade of this century, researchers have yet to find a cure for the
debilitating disease, even though the condition was first diagnosed in the early 1900s.
Since then, scientists have elucidated its etiology, which shows that AD pathogenesis is
a unique, complex amalgam of genetic, aging, comorbidities, and environmental
factors for each patient. In no small part, animal models of AD have been instrumental
in revealing disease pathways correlated to cognitive dysfunction and behavioral
deficits; moreover, they have been indispensable as preclinical models for potential
drug candidates. Both small and large mammalian models of AD will be surveyed and
discussed, ranging from mice and rats to dogs, cats, sheep, pigs, and primates. Each of
the model's advantages and disadvantages will be closely examined.
Keywords: Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), Animal models, Amyloid precursor protein (APP), Amyloid plaques, Apolipoprotein, Knockout (KO), Knock-in (KI), Neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs), Neurodegeneration, Transgenic.
