Experimental models and behavioral screening tests in Alzheimer's Drug development: A Review

Alzheimer's is a progressive loss of cognitive ability due to neuronal cell degeneration in the brain. It accounts for most dementia cases globally. The multi-factorial etiology of Alzheimer's disease makes currently approved medications like anticholinesterase and glutamate antagonists, inadequate for prevention or cure. They offer only symptomatic relief and do not reverse the neurodegenerative pathways in Alzheimer's disease. Thus, researchers focus on understanding different facets of pathogenesis targeting multiple mechanisms to develop a successful anti-Alzheimer medication. This review discusses Different screening models in various species, developed by scientists, from conventional to transgenic models. Behavioral studies assess the cognition-enhancing potential of new medications under development in Alzheimer's disease models. In this review, we also focussed on the mechanism of pathogenesis in different models which will be helpful in assessing therapeutic activity in different forms of Alzheimer's disease.