Animal Models of Parkinson's Disease

Animal models have been critical to our study of Parkinson's disease (PD). Models have historically been developed to replicate aspects of idiopathic PD pathology. Traditional models include the reserpine model, which replicates striatal dopamine depletion seen in PD, and the 6-hydroxydopamine and 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine environmental toxin models, that replicate PD's nigral neurohistopathology. While invaluable to researchers, these models have limited ability to produce many important features of PD. Novel models, such as the rotenone, paraquat, and maneb environmental models, genetic models, the lipopolysaccharide model, and aged animal models have been recently developed as alternatives to traditional models.