建立新一代的精神分裂症动物模型

Establishing New Animal Models for Studying Schizophrenia

精神分裂症动物模型的建立与发展,是当前探索精神分裂症的神经生物学和认知心理学机制的一个关键课题。在加工-保护理论的基础上所建立起来的感觉运动门控精神分裂症模型一直受到普遍的关注。然而,高级认知活动是如何对感觉门控进行调节的这一核心问题目前还有待进一步的解决。本综述围绕着这个核心问题,系统地解释为什么惊反射前脉冲抑制成为目前最为流行的一种精神分裂症的模型,并介绍恐惧情绪学习对感觉运动门控调节作用的最新研究成果,以及阐述这种自上而下的调节作用如何受到在早期发育阶段的社会隔离的影响。

Establishing appropriate animal models is critical for studying schizophrenia. Based on the Processing-Protection Theory, schizophrenia is mainly caused by deficits in gating of signal processing. Prepulse inhibition （PPI） is the reduction of the startle reflex when the startling stimulus is shortly preceded by a non-startling stimulus, and has been used as a model for studying sensorimotor gating. In humans, PPI can be enhanced by both attention and emotion. Our recent studies have shown that PPI in rats can be enhanced by auditory fear conditioning （AFC） but weakened by isolation rearing. Moreover, our recent studies have further shown that isolation rearing affects the effect of AFC on PPI. This paper reviews this line of studies and suggests that AFC-modulation of PPI is useful for advancing animal models for investigating both neural bases and cognitive features of schizophrenia.