Developmental and lesion models of schizophrenia in rodents

Abstract

Animal modeling of schizophrenia is essential for understanding the neurobiological basis of the disease, as well as for the development of new antipsychotic drugs with improved therapeutic efficacy and safety profile. The review aims at summarizing the methodology and practical aspects of schizophrenia modeling based on dysontogenetic disturbances of the central nervous system in rats and mice. Environmental factors or the destruction of brain structures during prenatal or postnatal periods of development cause reorganization of neural networks, leading to irreversible changes in the function of the central nervous system, which usually appear after puberty. Developmental and lesion models of schizophrenia are widely regarded as the most appropriate due to their ability to reproduce characteristic behavioral and cognitive impairments with a delayed onset of symptoms, which is consistent with the clinical presentation of schizophrenia in humans.