A combined metabonomic and proteomic approach identifies frontal cortex changes in a chronic phencyclidine rat model in relation to human schizophrenia brain pathology.

Current schizophrenia (SCZ) treatments fail to treat the broad range of manifestations associated with this devastating disorder. Thus, new translational models that reproduce the core pathological features are urgently needed to facilitate novel drug discovery efforts. Here, we report findings from the first comprehensive label-free liquid-mass spectrometry proteomic- and proton nuclear magnetic resonance-based metabonomic profiling of the rat frontal cortex after chronic phencyclidine (PCP) intervention, which induces SCZ-like symptoms.

Molecular validation of the acute phencyclidine rat model for schizophrenia: identification of translational changes in energy metabolism and neurotransmission.

Administration of the noncompetitive N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist phencyclidine (PCP) to rodents is widely used as preclinical model for schizophrenia. Most studies on this model employ methods investigating behavior and brain abnormalities. However, little is known about the corresponding peripheral effects.

The application of selective reaction monitoring confirms dysregulation of glycolysis in a preclinical model of schizophrenia.

Background: Establishing preclinical models is essential for novel drug discovery in schizophrenia. Most existing models are characterized by abnormalities in behavioral readouts, which are informative, but do not necessarily translate to the symptoms of the human disease. Therefore, there is a necessity of characterizing the preclinical models from a molecular point of view.

Behavioral and molecular biomarkers in translational animal models for neuropsychiatric disorders.

Modeling neuropsychiatric disorders in animals poses a significant challenge due to the subjective nature of diverse often overlapping symptoms, lack of objective biomarkers and diagnostics, and the rudimentary understanding of the pathophysiology. Successful translational research requires animal models that can inform about disease mechanisms and therapeutic targets. Here, we review behavioral and neurobiological findings from selected animal models, based on presumed etiology and risk factors, for schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depressive disorder.