Contextual conditioning in rats as an animal model for generalized anxiety disorder

Animal models of psychiatric disorders are important translational tools for exploring new treatment options and gaining more insight into the disease. Thus far, there is no systematically validated animal model for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), a severely impairing and difficult-to-treat dise...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Cognitive, affective, & behavioral neuroscience affective, & behavioral neuroscience, 2011-06, Vol.11 (2), p.228-244
Main Authors: Luyten, Laura, Vansteenwegen, Debora, van Kuyck, Kris, Gabriëls, Loes, Nuttin, Bart
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult and adolescent clinical studies
Animals
Anxiety
Anxiety Disorders - psychology
Anxiety disorders. Neuroses
Behavioral Science and Psychology
Biological and medical sciences
Cognitive Psychology
Conditioning (Psychology)
Disease Models, Animal
Fear
Humans
Medical sciences
Miscellaneous
Neurosciences
Psychology
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychopathology. Psychiatry
Rats
Validation Studies as Topic
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Summary:Animal models of psychiatric disorders are important translational tools for exploring new treatment options and gaining more insight into the disease. Thus far, there is no systematically validated animal model for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), a severely impairing and difficult-to-treat disease. In this review, we propose contextual conditioning (CC) as an animal model for GAD. We argue that this model has sufficient face validity (there are several symptom similarities), predictive validity (it responds to clinically effective treatments), and construct validity (the underlying mechanisms are comparable). Although the refinement and validation of an animal model is a never-ending process, we want to give a concise overview of the currently available evidence. We suggest that the CC model might be a valuable preclinical tool to enhance the development of new treatment strategies and our understanding of GAD.
ISSN:1530-7026
1531-135X
DOI:10.3758/s13415-011-0021-6