Assessing behavior and cognition in rodents, nonhuman primates, and humans: where are the limits of translation?

• Published in: Dialogues in clinical neuroscience Vol. 21; no. 3; pp. 249 - 259
• Main Authors: Stephan, Marius, Volkmann, Paul, Rossner, Moritz J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: France Taylor & Francis 01-09-2019; Les Laboratoires Servier
• Subjects: affective and nonaffective psychosis; animal model; Animals; Behavior Rating Scale; behavioral profiling; cognition; Cognition - physiology; Humans; Memory - physiology; Models, Animal; neurocognitive test battery; nonhuman primate; Original; Primates; Rodentia; Translational Medical Research - methods; Translational Medical Research - trends; affective and nonaffective psychosis; neurocognitive test battery; nonhuman primate; behavioral profiling; cognition; animal model
• ISSN: 1958-5969; 1294-8322; 1958-5969
• DOI: 10.31887/DCNS.2019.21.3/mrossner

New psychopharmacological treatments are needed for affective and nonaffective
psychoses, especially for the associated negative and cognitive symptoms. Earlier
developments mostly failed, probably partly because of limitations in behavioral models
used for validation. Now, deeper understanding of the genetics underlying disease
pathogenesis and progress in genetic engineering will generate many rodent models with
increased construct validity. To improve these models' translational value, we need
complementary data from nonhuman primates. We also have to improve and streamline
behavioral test systems to cope with increased demand. Here, we propose a comprehensive
neurocognitive test battery that should overcome the disadvantages of single tests and
yield cognitive/behavioral profiles for modeling subsets of patient symptoms. Further,
we delineate a concept for classifying disease-relevant cognitive endophenotypes to
balance between face and construct validity and clinical diagnostics. In summary, this
review discusses new concepts and the limitations and future potential of translational
research on cognition in psychiatry.