Animal Models of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Abstract

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD) is a clinically heterogenous disorder including hyperactivity, impulsivity, and inattention. Both psychostimulant and non-psychostimulant drugs such as methylphenidate and atomoxetine, respectively, to modulate catecholeamine neurotransmission are used as current pharmacotherapies for AD/HD. Multiple lines of evidence suggest that genetic factors play major roles in the etiology of AD/HD. meta-Analyses and pooled data analyses have suggested associations between AD/HD and polymorphisms in genes encoding monoamine neurotransmission molecules. There has been considerable research on this disorder using genetic, pharmacological, and neuroimaging approaches, and several animal models of AD/HD such as spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR), dopamine transporter (DAT) knockout mice, coloboma mutant mouse, and Grin1 mutant mouse have been reported. These animal models are valuable tools for investigating molecular, cellular, and behavioral mechanisms as well as the neural development and circuit mechanisms of AD/HD. Here, we review the recent literature on animal models of AD/HD and discuss their advantages and limitations.

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder–like Phenotype in a Mouse Model with Impaired Actin Dynamics

“…A similar observation has been made for coloboma mice (42), an established ADHD model (43,44). Together, the neurobehavioral defects of ACC mice strongly resemble the symptoms observed in patients with ADHD (1).…”

Contribution of animal models to contemporary understanding of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

“…Even though there are numerous reviews of candidate animal models for ADHD (Arime et al, 2011;Leo and Gainetdinov, 2013), to our knowledge, there are no reviews of the contribution of other methods, e.g., in silico models.…”

Inattentiveness in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder

“…To date, SHRs have been the most commonly investigated animal model and studies have found links between ADHD-like behaviors and impaired dopamine release in the prefrontal cortex, nucleus accumbens and striatum [33] . The locus coeruleus-norepinephrine system, which is thought to be responsible for optimizing arousal and facilitating sustained attention, is also impaired in SHRs, supporting the theory that inattention in ADHD is related to hypoarousal and problems with alerting attention [14,34,35] .…”