The darkness and the light: diurnal rodent models for seasonal affective disorder.

ABSTRACT: The development of animal models is a critical step for exploring the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms of major affective disorders and for evaluating potential therapeutic approaches. Although most neuropsychiatric research is performed on nocturnal rodents, differences in how diurnal and nocturnal animals respond to changing photoperiods, combined with a possible link between circadian rhythm disruption and affective disorders, has led to a call for the development of diurnal animal models. The need for diurnal models is most clear for seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a widespread recurrent depressive disorder that is linked to exposure to short photoperiods. Here, we briefly review what is known regarding the etiology of SAD and then examine progress in developing appropriate

SUBMITTER: Shankar A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7859703 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature