Animal Models for Neurodegenerative Disease


Book Description

In recent years, medical developments have resulted in an increase in human life expectancy. The editors have extensive knowledge and experience in this field and the book is aimed at undergraduates, postgraduates, and academics. The chapters cover Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's, and other neurodegenerative disorders.




Human and Animal Models for Translational Research on Neurodegeneration: Challenges and Opportunities From South America


Book Description

Neurodegenerative diseases are the most frequent cause of dementia, representing a burden for public health systems (especially in middle and middle-high income countries). Although most research on this issue is concentrated in first-world centers, growing efforts in South America are affording important breakthroughs. This emerging agenda poses new challenges for the region but also new opportunities for the field. This book aims to integrate the community of experts across the globe and the region, and to establish new challenges and developments for future investigation. We present research focused on neurodegenerative research in South America. We introduce studies assessing the interplay among genetic, neural, and behavioral dimensions of these diseases, as well as articles on vulnerability factors, comparisons of findings from various countries, and works promoting multicenter and collaborative networking. More generally, our book covers a broad scope of human-research approaches (behavioral assessment, neuroimaging, electromagnetic techniques, brain connectivity, peripheral measures), animal methodologies (genetics, epigenetics, proteomics, metabolomics, other molecular biology tools), species (all human and non-human animals, sporadic, and genetic versions), and article types (original research, review, and opinion papers). Through this wide-ranging proposal, we hope to introduce a fresh approach to the challenges and opportunities of research on neurodegeneration in South America.




Handbook of Animal Models in Alzheimer’s Disease


Book Description

Animals have been used to model diseases or test new treatments since around 300 BC, and undoubtedly our ability to model disease in animals – including transgenic animals – has provided major breakthroughs in all fields of biomedical research. Due to their complexity and plurality of pathology and symptomatology, the study of neurodegenerative diseases relies heavily on animal models. These models have been developed in many species in the attempt to undercover the complex nature of the disease mechanisms involved. The ultimate goal is to test promising therapies and to manage, prevent or cure neurodegenerative disease. But because most animal models in this area do not reproduce the full phenotypical disease spectrum and the etiology and clinical presentation of neurodegenerative diseases differ from one patient to the next, the testing of these diseases in animal models often translates poorly to indices of efficacy when applied to the clinical population. Written by experts in the field with these advances and challenges in mind, this handbook provides an updated overview of the animal models being developed and used to study complex disease dynamics. The first part of the book presents an overview of animal models of various species and includes a review of new invertebrate animal models to study neurodegeneration. The second section presents the use of animal models to pinpoint disease mechanisms, and the last part of the handbook examines the various therapeutic interventions being used in models of neurodegenerative disease.




Animal Models of Neurological Disorders


Book Description

This book introduces undergraduate, postgraduate and research students and scientists to animal models of neurological disorders, along with their working principle and brief procedures. Addressing all the disorders related to the central nervous system (CNS) in a single platform, on the basis of various literature surveys it describes different procedures to induce a single disease with the help of toxins/chemicals. It also includes numerous protocols for inducing single neurological diseases, thus fulfilling an urgent need for a book that makes specific procedures for neurological disorders available, so that specific disease can be induced in laboratories according to the availability of resources. Further, it acquaints readers with the pathological changes that occur in a particular neurological disorder, which reflect specific signs and symptoms of any particular disease, and examines how they affect everyday life. It is a valuable resource for researchers aiming to eradicate or improve neurological disorders by testing the benefits of different drugs.




Sourcebook of Models for Biomedical Research


Book Description

The collection of systems represented in Sourcebook of genomic programs, although this work is certainly well Models for Biomedical Research is an effort to re?ect the represented and indexed. diversity and utility of models that are used in biomedicine. Some models have been omitted due to page limitations That utility is based on the consideration that observations and we have encouraged the authors to use tables and made in particular organisms will provide insight into the ? gures to make comparisons of models so that observations workings of other, more complex, systems. Even the cell not available in primary publications can become useful to cycle in the simple yeast cell has similarities to that in the reader. humans and regulation with similar proteins occurs. We thank Richard Lansing and the staff at Humana for Some models have the advantage that the reproductive, guidance through the publication process. mitotic, development or aging cycles are rapid compared As this book was entering production, we learned of the with those in humans; others are utilized because individual loss of Tom Lanigan, Sr. Tom was a leader and innovator proteins may be studied in an advantageous way and that in scienti?c publishing and a good friend and colleague to have human homologs. Other organisms are facile to grow all in the exploratory enterprise. We dedicate this book to in laboratory settings or lend themselves to convenient analy- his memory. We will miss him greatly.




Handbook of Animal Models in Alzheimer's Disease


Book Description

Animals have been used to model diseases or test new treatments since around 300 BC, and undoubtedly our ability to model disease in animals - including transgenic animals - has provided major breakthroughs in all fields of biomedical research. Due to their complexity and plurality of pathology and symptomatology, the study of neurodegenerative diseases relies heavily on animal models. These models have been developed in many species in the attempt to undercover the complex nature of the disease mechanisms involved. The ultimate goal is to test promising therapies and to manage, prevent or cure neurodegenerative disease. But because most animal models in this area do not reproduce the full phenotypical disease spectrum and the etiology and clinical presentation of neurodegenerative diseases differ from one patient to the next, the testing of these diseases in animal models often translates poorly to indices of efficacy when applied to the clinical population. Written by experts in the field with these advances and challenges in mind, this handbook provides an updated overview of the animal models being developed and used to study complex disease dynamics. The first part of the book presents an overview of animal models of various species and includes a review of new invertebrate animal models to study neurodegeneration. The second section presents the use of animal models to pinpoint disease mechanisms, and the last part of the handbook examines the various therapeutic interventions being used in models of neurodegenerative disease.




Guidance for the Description of Animal Research in Scientific Publications


Book Description

The publication of research articles involving animal studies is central to many disciplines in science and biomedicine. Effective descriptions in such publications enable researchers to interpret the data, evaluate and replicate findings, and move the science forward. Analyses of published studies with research animals have demonstrated numerous deficiencies in the reporting of details in research methods for animal studies. Considerable variation in the amount of information required by scientific publications and reported by authors undermines this basic scientific principle and results in the unnecessary use of animals and other resources in failed efforts to reproduce study results. Guidance for the Description of Animal Research in Scientific Publications outlines the information that should be included in scientific papers regarding the animal studies to ensure that the study can be replicated. The report urges journal editors to actively promote effective and ethical research by encouraging the provision of sufficient information. Examples of this information include: conditions of housing and husbandry, genetic nomenclature, microbial status, detailed experimental manipulations, and handling and use of pharmaceuticals. Inclusion of this information will enable assessment and interpretation of research findings and advancement of knowledge based on reproducible results.




Improving the Utility and Translation of Animal Models for Nervous System Disorders


Book Description

Nervous system diseases and disorders are highly prevalent and substantially contribute to the overall disease burden. Despite significant information provided by the use of animal models in the understanding of the biology of nervous system disorders and the development of therapeutics; limitations have also been identified. Treatment options that are high in efficacy and low in side effects are still lacking for many diseases and, in some cases are nonexistent. A particular problem in drug development is the high rate of attrition in Phase II and III clinical trials. Why do many therapeutics show promise in preclinical animal models but then fail to elicit predicted effects when tested in humans? On March 28 and 29, 2012, the Institute of Medicine Forum on Neuroscience and Nervous System Disorders convened the workshop "Improving Translation of Animal Models for Nervous System Disorders" to discuss potential opportunities for maximizing the translation of new therapies from animal models to clinical practice. The primary focus of the workshop was to examine mechanisms for increasing the efficiency of translational neuroscience research through discussions about how and when to use animal models most effectively and then best approaches for the interpretation of the data collected. Specifically, the workshop objectives were to: discuss key issues that contribute to poor translation of animal models in nervous system disorders, examine case studies that highlight successes and failures in the development and application of animal models, consider strategies to increase the scientific rigor of preclinical efficacy testing, explore the benefits and challenges to developing standardized animal and behavioral models. Improving the Utility and Translation of Animal Models for Nervous System Disorders: Workshop Summary also identifies methods to facilitate development of corresponding animal and clinical endpoints, indentifies methods that would maximize bidirectional translation between basic and clinical research and determines the next steps that will be critical for improvement of the development and testing of animal models of disorders of the nervous system.




Leucine-Rich Repeat Kinase 2 (LRRK2)


Book Description

This is the first book to assemble the leading researchers in the field of LRRK2 biology and neurology and provide a snapshot of the current state of knowledge, encompassing all major aspects of its function and dysfunction. The contributors are experts in cell biology and physiology, neurobiology, and medicinal chemistry, bringing a multidisciplinary perspective on the gene and its role in disease. The book covers the identification of LRRK2 as a major contributor to the pathogenesis of Parkinson's Disease. It also discusses the current state of the field after a decade of research, putative normal physiological roles of LRRK2, and the various pathways that have been identified in the search for the mechanism(s) of its induction of neurodegeneration.




Methods of Behavior Analysis in Neuroscience


Book Description

Using the most well-studied behavioral analyses of animal subjects to promote a better understanding of the effects of disease and the effects of new therapeutic treatments on human cognition, Methods of Behavior Analysis in Neuroscience provides a reference manual for molecular and cellular research scientists in both academia and the pharmaceutic