Animal models of schizophrenia: developmental preparation in rats.

Abstract

Schizophrenia manifests itself primarily with positive symptoms, negative symptoms and cognitive disorders. Animal models of mental diseases seem to be an important tool in understanding key theories related with pathophysiology of the disorder and are used to assess efficacy of new drugs. References describe four basic groups of animal models of schizophrenia, such as: models created by pharmacological intervention, genetic models, lesion models and models of developmental disorders of primary brain structures. Of the models referred to above, the group of developmental disorder models is particularly noteworthy, as they are primarily easy to use, and the methods are highly sensitive. High scientific value of these models is associated with the neurodevelopmental theory which stipulates that at an early stage of body development, a number of interactions between genetic and environmental factors may affect the development of neurons which may cause disorders of brain cytoarchitecture development. We review six developmental models of schizophrenia in rats (MAM--methylooxymethanol acetate, prenatal stress, maternal deprivation, isolation rearing, prenatal immune challenge and maternal malnutrition) that are all validated by disruption in PPI.