Shanaz Tejani-Butt
University of The Sciences, USA
Title: Relevance of animal models in affective disorders research
Biography
Biography: Shanaz Tejani-Butt
Abstract
Abstract
According to the World Health Organization, mental disorders are one of the leading causes of disability in the US and worldwide. However, several challenges exists in the treatment of these disorders. First of all, diagnosis is difficult, especially in the young and the elderly, and the course of the disease can get complicated when the patient suffers from additional chronic conditions. Secondly, even when appropriate medications exists, a large number of patients do not receive treatment or are found to be treatment resistant. Thirdly, the neurochemical basis underlying the pathophysiology of the disorders is not well known, and our current understanding of these disorders is largely based on animal models.
Exposure to stress triggers a complex array of physiological, behavioral and neurochemical processes in order to promote homeostatic adaptation to the stressful stimuli. Repeated and chronic stressors pose a risk for psychiatric ailments, affecting our daily performance, and leading to a high public health burden. Appropriate animal models are therefore required for exploring the underlying neural mechanisms of stress, and for the screening of new therapeutic agents.