The age of anxiety: role of animal models of anxiolytic action in drug discovery

摘要: Anxiety disorders are common, serious and a growing health problem worldwide. However, the causative factors, aetiology underlying mechanisms of anxiety disorders, as for most psychiatric remain relatively poorly understood. Animal models an important aid in giving insight into aetiology, neurobiology and, ultimately, therapy human disorders. The approach, however, is challenged with number complexities. In particular, heterogeneous nature humans coupled associated multifaceted descriptive diagnostic criteria, creates challenges both animal modelling clinical research. this paper, we describe some more widely used approaches assessing anxiolytic activity known potential therapeutic agents. These include ethological, conflict-based, hyponeophagia, vocalization-based, physiological cognitive-based paradigms. Developments characterization translational also summarized, facing researchers their drug discovery efforts developing new drugs, not least ever-shifting conceptualization conclusion, to date, although have good validity, drugs novel been slow emerge. It clear that better alignment interactions between basic scientists needed if change. LINKED ARTICLES This article part themed issue on Translational Neuropharmacology. To view other articles visit http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/bph.2011.164.issue-4