Animal models of neurodegenerative diseases

Organizers: Richard Brown and Abdul H. Mohammed

The last decades have witnessed an increasing number of animal models designed to recapitulate some aspects of neurodegenerative diseases. Although a number of models exist, there has been little comparative research which attempts to evaluate these models. These models are proving to be indispensable in research on neurodegeneration. The models that have been created include transgenic fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster , but the most widely used models are the transgenic mice models. Many of these models mimic some aspects of neurodegenerative diseases. For example there are a variety of APP transgenic mice, with some showing neuropathological changes and cognitive deficits like those seen in Alzheimer´s disease patients. Whilst the models can have certain limitations they have nonetheless provided significant breakthrough in research, enhanced knowledge on basic mechanisms involved in neurodegenerative diseases, and can be used to test potential therapeutic drugs.

In this symposium speakers will deal with different animal models of neurodegeneration and their use in behavioural and brain research.

Speakers and Topics

Preclinical support for the treatment for Alzhemer´s disease with an NMDA receptor antagonist memantine
Wojciech Danysz, Merz Pharmaceuticals GmbH, Frankfurt am Main, Germany

Animal models of Alzheimer's disease – predictive value for drug development
Manfred Windisch, JSW CNS Research, Forschungslabor GmbH, Graz, Austria

Immunotherapy targeting soluble A ß protofibrils in Alzheimer's disease transgenic mice
Lars Nilsson, Rudbeck Laboratory, Uppsala University , Uppsala , Sweden

Behavioural phenotyping of genetic mouse models
Richard Brown, Dept of Psychology, Dalhousie University , Nova Scotia , Canada

Effects of selective cytotoxic dorsal, ventral and complete hippocampal lesions in C57BL/6 mice
Rob Deacon, Oxford University, England