Alzheimer's research using animal models significantly increases understanding of the disease
Monday, December 15, 2008 - 12:07
in Biology & Nature
Very few species spontaneously develop the cognitive, behavioral and neuropathological symptoms of Alzheimer's disease (AD), yet AD research must progress at a more rapid pace than the rate of human aging. Therefore, in recent years, a variety of animal models have been created - from tiny invertebrates with life spans measurable in months to huge mammals that live several decades. A special issue of the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease (December 2008), assembled by guest editor Diana S. Woodruff-Pak, Temple University, Philadelphia, explores the variety of animal models now being used in AD research and the resulting therapeutic implications.