Animal Related Studies in Neurosciences

Neuroscience is an extremely complex science that focuses on the study of brain structure and function, such as neural connections, neuroplasticity, and the interactions between numerous nerve cells. It also helps to understand the pathomechanism of various neurological diseases and develop more effective therapies. Animal models are critical to better understanding basic neuroscience and helping the treatment development and drug discovery of brain diseases and disorders.

Common Brain Diseases

It is estimated that brain and neurological diseases affect about 1/6 population and cost as much as 45% of the annual health budget. Brain diseases include any conditions or disabilities that affect your brain; therefore, they can be classified into many types.

Common Animals Used in Neuroscience

With the progress of modeling technology, a number of different animals have been constructed in neuroscience research, including vertebrates and invertebrates. The most used animals include rodents (mice and rats), Drosophila melanogaster, zebrafish, dogs, and non-human primates (monkeys, orangutans), all of which have proven extremely useful in understanding the mechanisms of many human neurological diseases and in assessing new therapeutic strategies.

Animals Related Studies in Brain Research

In vitro non-animal research has made great achievements in the field of neuroscience, however, their use in neuroscience remains extremely limited due to the complex and interconnected structure of the brain. Therefore, a living and behaving animal remains the only viable model to study the brain in action.

• Animal Models for Neurological Disorders

Animal models mimic the occurrence and development of human neurological diseases, which have been a cornerstone for the basic research of disease pathogenesis and preclinical research of potential therapies. Rapid progress of animal modeling has advanced the study of many neurological disorders, such as stroke, nerve injury, neurodegenerative disease, tumors, etc.

• Use of Animals in Neurosciences

Different animals have been applied in the assessment of neurological diseases, such as drug addiction in rats, episodic memory in rats, executive function and higher cognition in non-human primate animals, spatial memory in mice, learning and memory in invertebrates, and so on.

• High-Throughput Approaches for Generating Targeted Mutations in Mice on a Genome-Wide Scale

Targeted mutations in mice using high-throughput approaches on genome-wide scale help scientists obtain a line of animal models expressing a new phenotype. These mutant mice allowed neuroscientists to discover the function of specific genes and to create more appropriate disease models.

• Transgenic Models of Neurodegenerative Disease

The transgenic models greatly promote the advance of biomedical research. Genetic diseases are usually associated with multiple genes and may present different phenotypes. By constructing knockout transgenic models of Alzheimer’s disease, neuroscientists can better understand the neural basis of learning and memory.

The discovery of new therapies for neurological disorders is predicated on the use of animal models both to identify new therapeutic targets and to perform preclinical trials of drugs before using them in patients. As a leading service provider in neuroscience, Creative Biolabs now provides a variety of antibodies, proteins, agonists/antagonists, toxins against various targets to meet our clients’ requirements. We also provide one-stop customized preclinical animal modeling services for our clients. If you are interested in our services and products, please do not hesitate to contact us for more detailed information.