Animal and Translational Models for CNS Drug Discovery: Neurological Disorders

Book excerpt: Neurological Disorders is written for researchers in both academia and the pharmaceutical industry who use animal models in research and development of drugs for neurological disorders such as neurofibromatosis, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Huntington disease, ALS, and the epilepsies. Neurological Disorders has introductory chapters expressing the view of the role and relevance of animal models for drug discovery and development for the treatment of psychiatric disorders from the perspective of (a) academic basic neuroscientific research, (b) applied pharmaceutical drug discovery and development, and (c) issues of clinical trial design and regulatory agencies limitations. Each volume examines the rationale, use, robustness and limitations of animal models in each therapeutic area covered and discuss the use of animal models for target identification and validation. The clinical relevance of animal models is discussed in terms of major limitations in cross-species comparisons, clinical trial design of drug candidates, and how clinical trial endpoints could be improved. The aim of this series of volumes on Animal and Translational Models for CNS Drug Discovery is to identify and provide common endpoints between species that can serve to inform both the clinic and the bench with the information needed to accelerate clinically-effective CNS drug discovery. This is the second volume in the three volume-set, Animal and Translational Models for CNS Drug Discovery 978-0-12-373861-5, which is also available for purchase individually. - Clinical, academic, government and industry perspectives fostering integrated communication between principle participants at all stages of the drug discovery process - Critical evaluation of animal and translational models improving transition from drug discovery and clinical development - Emphasis on what results mean to the overall drug discovery process - Exploration of issues in clinical trial design and conductance in each therapeutic area