Animal models in the study of Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease: A historical perspective.

ABSTRACT

Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease are two of the most prevalent and disabling neurodegenerative diseases globally. Both are proteinopathic conditions and while occasionally inherited, are largely sporadic in nature. Although the advances in our understanding of the two have been significant, they are far from complete and neither diagnosis nor the current practices in treatment and rehabilitation is adequately helpful. Animal models have historically found application as testing beds for novel therapeutics and continue to be valuable aids in pharmacological research. This review chronicles the development of those models in the context of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease, and highlights the shifting paradigms in studying two human-specific conditions in non-human organisms.