Modeling Schizophrenia in Animals: Old Challenges and New Opportunities

Despite the recent advances in genetics, the etiology and pathogenesis of schizophrenia remain poorly understood. Several animal models have been generated to advance our understanding of the biology of the disease. Early animal models were based on lesion methods, pharmacologic challenges, or use of different environmental insults. Although these models have provided valuable insights regarding aspects of schizophrenia and have been useful for preclinical therapeutic studies, their main drawback is weak etiological specificity. Genetic animal models seem to be better poised to elucidate the mechanisms whereby genetic risk factors cause schizophrenia. In this chapter, we review existing animal models relevant to schizophrenia, discuss their strengths and weaknesses, and propose new directions for the field.