Animal models of Alzheimer’s disease: preclinical insights and challenges

Alzheimer’s disease (AD), an irreversible neurodegenerative disease that progressively impairs memory and cognitive judgment, severely affects the quality of life and imposes a heavy burden on the healthcare system. No cure is currently available for AD, in part because the pathogenesis of this disease has not been established. Animal models are essential for investigating AD pathogenesis and evaluating potential therapeutic strategies for AD. Some phenotypic and neuropathologic changes in AD patients can be recapitulated with genetic and pharmacologic approaches in animals. This article systematically reviews the animal models available for AD research, including transgenic, chemical- or drug-induced, and spontaneous animal models, and the characteristics of these animal models. In this review we also discuss the challenges and constraints when using AD animal models. Although no single animal model can reproduce all pathologic aspects and behavioral features in AD patients, the currently available AD models are valuable tools for deciphering the pathogenic mechanisms underlying AD and developing new anti-AD therapeutics.