ABSTRACT
Although animal models of psychiatric disorders are limited to the assessment of measurable and observable behavioral parameters and cannot assess complex psychological symptoms such as thought, meaning, and dreams, they are still useful. Valid and reliable animal models may provide a means for researching biomolecular, pathophysiological, and pharmacological features of the disorder in ways which are not feasible in human studies. They are not only relatively cheap but also enable an intervention with compounds and methods that would not be allowed in humans. Animal models also enable a prospective follow-up design, in which the disorder is triggered at a specified time and in a uniform manner, in controllable and statistically sound population samples (in terms of size and composition, including genetically manipulated and inbred strains), and enable the assessment of behavioral and gross physiological parameters. Moreover, and unlike studies in human subjects, they enable the assessment of concomitant biomolecular changes in dissected brain areas.
