Genetic rodent models of depression.

Abstract

Are there appropriate rodent models for human depressive disorders? A model that targets a core aspect of depression can become a helpful tool in the analysis of the causes, genetic or environmental, that result in symptoms homologous to those of depressed patients. Rodent models can also allow the study of the pathophysiology of specific behaviors, and can help in predicting therapeutic responses to pharmacological agents. A rodent model of depression should satisfy as many of the three main criteria as possible: similar etiology, similar pathophysiology, and similar treatment to the human condition. A wide range of rodent models of depression has been developed so far, including genetic models.