scholarly journals Autistic-Like Traits in Laboratory Rodents Exposed to Phthalic Acid Esters During Early Development – an Animal Model of Autism?

2021 ◽  
pp. 345-361
Author(s):  
M MOROVÁ ◽  
L KRŠKOVÁ
Keyword(s):  
Animal Model ◽  
Animal Models ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Critical Time ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Neuronal System ◽  
Phthalate Exposure ◽  
Living Organisms ◽  
Early Developmental

Phthalates are chemical substances that are widely used to provide flexibility and durability to plastic materials. They leach from products in which they are mixed and reach living organisms. Results from experimental studies suggest that exposure to phthalates can have a negative impact on an individual’s neuronal system and behavior. In this regard, exposure during early ontogenesis seems to be particularly dangerous due to the extensive growth and development of body structures and functions. Disruption during this critical time can result in alterations of behavior and the emergence of neurodevelopmental disorders, such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Various animal models have been used to elucidate the pathogenesis of this disease. They are fundamental for research, and although the translation of results to humans is difficult, new animal models are being developed. The aim of this review is to summarize laboratory rodent studies in which early developmental phthalate exposure resulted in brain alterations and autistic-like behavioral traits. We also discuss the possibility of using early developmental phthalate exposure in rodents to create a new animal model of autism.

scholarly journals Animal Models of Virus-Induced Neurobehavioral Sequelae: Recent Advances, Methodological Issues, and Future Prospects

2010 ◽  
Vol 2010 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marco Bortolato ◽  
Sean C. Godar
Keyword(s):  
Animal Models ◽  
Developmental Stages ◽  
Viral Infections ◽  
Behavioral Science ◽  
Diagnostic Category ◽  
Critical Issue ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Intermediate Phenotypes ◽  
Early Developmental

Converging lines of clinical and epidemiological evidence suggest that viral infections in early developmental stages may be a causal factor in neuropsychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and autism-spectrum disorders. This etiological link, however, remains controversial in view of the lack of consistent and reproducible associations between viruses and mental illness. Animal models of virus-induced neurobehavioral disturbances afford powerful tools to test etiological hypotheses and explore pathophysiological mechanisms. Prenatal or neonatal inoculations of neurotropic agents (such as herpes-, influenza-, and retroviruses) in rodents result in a broad spectrum of long-term alterations reminiscent of psychiatric abnormalities. Nevertheless, the complexity of these sequelae often poses methodological and interpretational challenges and thwarts their characterization. The recent conceptual advancements in psychiatric nosology and behavioral science may help determine new heuristic criteria to enhance the translational value of these models. A particularly critical issue is the identification of intermediate phenotypes, defined as quantifiable factors representing single neurochemical, neuropsychological, or neuroanatomical aspects of a diagnostic category. In this paper, we examine how the employment of these novel concepts may lead to new methodological refinements in the study of virus-induced neurobehavioral sequelae through animal models.

scholarly journals Swine as an animal model of cardiopulmonary resuscitation

2017 ◽  
Vol 57 (1) ◽  
pp. 27
Author(s):  
P. LELOVAS (Π. ΛΕΛΟΒΑΣ) ◽  
K. MARINOU (Κ. ΜΑΡΙΝΟΥ) ◽  
Th. XANTHOS (Θ. ΞΑΝΘΟΣ) ◽  
D. PAPADIMITRIOU (Δ. ΠΑΠΑΔΗΜΗΤΡΙΟΥ) ◽  
D. PERREA (Δ. ΠΕΡΡΕΑ) ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Animal Model ◽  
Cardiac Arrest ◽  
Animal Models ◽  
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
International Literature ◽  
Detailed Review

This paper reviews the advantages of swine in relation to other animal models of cardiopulmonary resuscitation referred to in the literature. The causes of cardiac arrest and the difficulties raised during research in humans are presented. All animal models used in this particular field are discussed and a detailed review is performed regarding the major anatomical and physiological similarities between swine and man, as well as the experimental studies published in the international literature.

Social stress in rats: An animal model of depression?

1995 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 27-29 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.M. Koolhaas ◽  
P. Meerlo ◽  
S.F. de Boer ◽  
J.H. Strubbe ◽  
B. Bohus
Keyword(s):  
Animal Model ◽  
Animal Models ◽  
Social Stress ◽  
Depressive Disorders ◽  
Temporal Dynamics ◽  
Natural Habitat ◽  
Critical Evaluation ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Animal Models Of Depression ◽  
Number Of Patients

Our current understanding of the physiological mechanisms underlying depressive disorders is not only based on behavioral, neuroendocrine and pharmacological studies in depressed humans, but also on experimental studies in a wide variety of animal models of depression. Ideally, the two approaches should operate in close interaction, each providing additional information to the other approach. However, in practice the animal model approach seems to be rather independent from the human studies. In a critical evaluation of the available animal models of depression, Willner concluded that none of the models fulfilled the criteria of a sufficient face, construct and predictive validity. Although this evaluation was made ten years ago, we feel that the situation has improved very little since that time. Most animal models fail to sufficiently mimic both the etiology and the symptomatology of human depressive disorders. With respect to the etiology, stress and major life events are generally considered to be an important factor in the development of depression. Most of the animal models however use stressors which bear little or no relationship to the biology of the species, i.e. to the situations an animal may meet in its everyday life in a natural habitat. Moreover, these models do not pay attention to the temporal dynamics of the disease. In humans, the disease is characterized by its gradual onset, which is often preceded by symptoms of anxiety. Moreover, a relatively large number of patients suffers from recurrent episodes of depression, which tend to occur with decreasing intervals and increasing duration and severity. If we want to improve our knowledge of the causal mechanisms of depression, animal models which allow an experimental analysis of the temporal dynamics of the disease are essential.

Inflammational Animal Models for Schizophrenia

2015 ◽  
Vol 223 (3) ◽  
pp. 157-164 ◽  
Author(s):  
Georg Juckel
Keyword(s):  
Animal Model ◽  
Animal Models ◽  
Immune Activation ◽  
Microglial Activation ◽  
Treatment Options ◽  
Early Adulthood ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Synaptic Connections ◽  
Preventive Interventions ◽  
Immunological System

Abstract. Inflammational-immunological processes within the pathophysiology of schizophrenia seem to play an important role. Early signals of neurobiological changes in the embryonal phase of brain in later patients with schizophrenia might lead to activation of the immunological system, for example, of cytokines and microglial cells. Microglia then induces – via the neurotoxic activities of these cells as an overreaction – a rarification of synaptic connections in frontal and temporal brain regions, that is, reduction of the neuropil. Promising inflammational animal models for schizophrenia with high validity can be used today to mimic behavioral as well as neurobiological findings in patients, for example, the well-known neurochemical alterations of dopaminergic, glutamatergic, serotonergic, and other neurotransmitter systems. Also the microglial activation can be modeled well within one of this models, that is, the inflammational PolyI:C animal model of schizophrenia, showing a time peak in late adolescence/early adulthood. The exact mechanism, by which activated microglia cells then triggers further neurodegeneration, must now be investigated in broader detail. Thus, these animal models can be used to understand the pathophysiology of schizophrenia better especially concerning the interaction of immune activation, inflammation, and neurodegeneration. This could also lead to the development of anti-inflammational treatment options and of preventive interventions.

scholarly journals Preclinical Testing of Radiopharmaceuticals for the Detection and Characterization of Osteomyelitis: Experiences from a Porcine Model

Molecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (14) ◽  
pp. 4221
Author(s):  
Aage Kristian Olsen Alstrup ◽  
Svend Borup Jensen ◽  
Ole Lerberg Nielsen ◽  
Lars Jødal ◽  
Pia Afzelius
Keyword(s):  
Animal Model ◽  
Animal Models ◽  
Porcine Model ◽  
Animal Experiments ◽  
Radioactive Tracers ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Selection Of

The development of new and better radioactive tracers capable of detecting and characterizing osteomyelitis is an ongoing process, mainly because available tracers lack selectivity towards osteomyelitis. An integrated part of developing new tracers is the performance of in vivo tests using appropriate animal models. The available animal models for osteomyelitis are also far from ideal. Therefore, developing improved animal osteomyelitis models is as important as developing new radioactive tracers. We recently published a review on radioactive tracers. In this review, we only present and discuss osteomyelitis models. Three ethical aspects (3R) are essential when exposing experimental animals to infections. Thus, we should perform experiments in vitro rather than in vivo (Replacement), use as few animals as possible (Reduction), and impose as little pain on the animal as possible (Refinement). The gain for humans should by far exceed the disadvantages for the individual experimental animal. To this end, the translational value of animal experiments is crucial. We therefore need a robust and well-characterized animal model to evaluate new osteomyelitis tracers to be sure that unpredicted variation in the animal model does not lead to a misinterpretation of the tracer behavior. In this review, we focus on how the development of radioactive tracers relies heavily on the selection of a reliable animal model, and we base the discussions on our own experience with a porcine model.

scholarly journals Relationship between Autism Spectrum Disorder and Pesticides: A Systematic Review of Human and Preclinical Models

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (10) ◽  
pp. 5190
Author(s):  
Judit Biosca-Brull ◽  
Cristian Pérez-Fernández ◽  
Santiago Mora ◽  
Beatriz Carrillo ◽  
Helena Pinos ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Clinical Signs ◽  
Epidemiological Studies ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Preclinical Studies ◽  
Preclinical Models ◽  
Gestational Exposure

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex set of neurodevelopmental pathologies characterized by impoverished social and communicative abilities and stereotyped behaviors. Although its genetic basis is unquestionable, the involvement of environmental factors such as exposure to pesticides has also been proposed. Despite the systematic analyses of this relationship in humans, there are no specific reviews including both human and preclinical models. The present systematic review summarizes, analyzes, and discusses recent advances in preclinical and epidemiological studies. We included 45 human and 16 preclinical studies. These studies focused on Organophosphates (OP), Organochlorine (OC), Pyrethroid (PT), Neonicotinoid (NN), Carbamate (CM), and mixed exposures. Preclinical studies, where the OP Chlorpyrifos (CPF) compound is the one most studied, pointed to an association between gestational exposure and increased ASD-like behaviors, although the data are inconclusive with regard to other ages or pesticides. Studies in humans focused on prenatal exposure to OP and OC agents, and report cognitive and behavioral alterations related to ASD symptomatology. The results of both suggest that gestational exposure to certain OP agents could be linked to the clinical signs of ASD. Future experimental studies should focus on extending the analysis of ASD-like behaviors in preclinical models and include exposure patterns similar to those observed in human studies.

scholarly journals Transcription Landscape of the Early Developmental Biology in Pigs

Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 1443
Author(s):  
Susana A. Teixeira ◽  
Daniele B. D. Marques ◽  
Thaís C. Costa ◽  
Haniel C. Oliveira ◽  
Karine A. Costa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Transcriptional Control ◽  
Muscle Development ◽  
Neuronal Development ◽  
Striated Muscle ◽  
Prenatal Development ◽  
Sequencing Analysis ◽  
Neuronal System ◽  
Matrix Organization ◽  
Early Developmental ◽  
Transcriptional Landscape

Since pre- and postnatal development are programmed during early prenatal life, studies addressing the complete transcriptional landscape during organogenesis are needed. Therefore, we aimed to disentangle differentially expressed (DE) genes between fetuses (at 35 days old) and embryos (at 25 days old) through RNA-sequencing analysis using the pig as model. In total, 1705 genes were DE, including the top DE IBSP, COL6A6, HBE1, HBZ, HBB, and NEUROD6 genes, which are associated with developmental transition from embryos to fetuses, such as ossification, skeletal muscle development, extracellular matrix organization, cardiovascular system, erythrocyte differentiation, and neuronal system. In pathway analysis, embryonic development highlighted those mainly related to morphogenic signaling and cell interactions, which are crucial for transcriptional control during the establishment of the main organs in early prenatal development, while pathways related to myogenesis, neuronal development, and cardiac and striated muscle contraction were enriched for fetal development, according to the greater complexity of organs and body structures at this developmental stage. Our findings provide an exploratory and informative transcriptional landscape of pig organogenesis, which might contribute to further studies addressing specific developmental events in pigs and in other mammals.

Recent advances in animal model experimentation in autism research

2013 ◽  
Vol 26 (5) ◽  
pp. 264-271 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mousumi Tania ◽  
Md. Asaduzzaman Khan ◽  
Kun Xia
Keyword(s):  
Animal Model ◽  
Animal Models ◽  
Human Condition ◽  
Behavioral Alterations ◽  
Important Place ◽  
Adult Mice ◽  
Recent Advances ◽  
Model Study ◽  
Disease Biology ◽  
Animal Model Study

ObjectiveAutism, a lifelong neuro-developmental disorder is a uniquely human condition. Animal models are not the perfect tools for the full understanding of human development and behavior, but they can be an important place to start. This review focused on the recent updates of animal model research in autism.MethodsWe have reviewed the publications over the last three decades, which are related to animal model study in autism.ResultsAnimal models are important because they allow researchers to study the underlying neurobiology in a way that is not possible in humans. Improving the availability of better animal models will help the field to increase the development of medicines that can relieve disabling symptoms. Results from the therapeutic approaches are encouraging remarkably, since some behavioral alterations could be reversed even when treatment was performed on adult mice. Finding an animal model system with similar behavioral tendencies as humans is thus vital for understanding the brain mechanisms, supporting social motivation and attention, and the manner in which these mechanisms break down in autism. The ongoing studies should therefore increase the understanding of the biological alterations associated with autism as well as the development of knowledge-based treatments therapy for those struggling with autism.ConclusionIn this review, we have presented recent advances in research based on animal models of autism, raising hope for understanding the disease biology for potential therapeutic intervention to improve the quality of life of autism individuals.

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