Although scientists know that there is an extremely high genetic association with onset of bipolar disorder, they still don't know exactly what genetic risk factors there are for bipolar disorder. As such, they still struggle with producing adequate animal models that exhibit manic and depressive symptoms.
List of Animal Models Used
J.W. - One example of an animal model being used to research bipolar disorder is transgenic mice. On the NCBI website, there is an article that was published in 2007 that summarizes the result of an experiment. This experiment's purpose was to test if mtDNA deletions in the brain could lead to bipolar disorder. The behaviors of the transgenic mice changed, and the phenotypes were worsened by antidepressants (a treatment of bipolar disorder that is controversial) and improved by lithium treatment (a common treatment for bipolar disorder). Although this isn't an exact proof of mtDNA deletions being associated with onset of bipolar disorder, it seems there is a correlation.
- Transgenic mice
- Rodents treated with psychostimulants (cocaine and meth) to generate artificial manic episodes
- Seizure-based models (amygdala kindling and lithium-pilocarpine induced seizures)
J.W. - One example of an animal model being used to research bipolar disorder is transgenic mice. On the NCBI website, there is an article that was published in 2007 that summarizes the result of an experiment. This experiment's purpose was to test if mtDNA deletions in the brain could lead to bipolar disorder. The behaviors of the transgenic mice changed, and the phenotypes were worsened by antidepressants (a treatment of bipolar disorder that is controversial) and improved by lithium treatment (a common treatment for bipolar disorder). Although this isn't an exact proof of mtDNA deletions being associated with onset of bipolar disorder, it seems there is a correlation.
Sources
- Kato, T., Kubota, M., & Kasahara, T. (2007, March 27). Animal models of bipolar disorder. Retrieved April 13, 2017, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17466374
- Nestler, E. J., & Hyman, S. E. (2010, September 27). Animal Models of Neuropsychiatric Disorders. Retrieved April 13, 2017, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3750731/