Laboratory models of post-traumatic stress disorder: The elusive bridge to translation

Joseph E Dunsmoor; Josh M Cisler; Gregory A Fonzo; Suzannah K Creech; Charles B Nemeroff

doi:10.1016/j.neuron.2022.03.001

Laboratory models of post-traumatic stress disorder: The elusive bridge to translation

Neuron. 2022 Jun 1;110(11):1754-1776. doi: 10.1016/j.neuron.2022.03.001. Epub 2022 Mar 23.

Authors

Joseph E Dunsmoor¹, Josh M Cisler², Gregory A Fonzo², Suzannah K Creech³, Charles B Nemeroff⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School, Austin, TX, USA; Center for Psychedelic Research and Therapy, University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School, Austin, TX, USA. Electronic address: joseph.dunsmoor@austin.utexas.edu.
² Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School, Austin, TX, USA; Institute for Early Life Adversity Research, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA; Center for Psychedelic Research and Therapy, University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School, Austin, TX, USA.
³ Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School, Austin, TX, USA; Institute for Early Life Adversity Research, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
⁴ Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School, Austin, TX, USA; Institute for Early Life Adversity Research, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA; Center for Psychedelic Research and Therapy, University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School, Austin, TX, USA. Electronic address: cnemeroff@austin.utexas.edu.

Abstract

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a debilitating mental illness composed of a heterogeneous collection of symptom clusters. The unique nature of PTSD as arising from a precipitating traumatic event helps simplify cross-species translational research modeling the neurobehavioral effects of stress and fear. However, the neurobiological progress on these complex neural circuits informed by animal models has yet to produce novel, evidence-based clinical treatment for PTSD. Here, we provide a comprehensive overview of popular laboratory models of PTSD and provide concrete ideas for improving the validity and clinical translational value of basic research efforts in humans. We detail modifications to simplified animal paradigms to account for myriad cognitive factors affected in PTSD, which may contribute to abnormalities in regulating fear. We further describe new avenues for integrating different areas of psychological research underserved by animal models of PTSD. This includes incorporating emerging trends in the cognitive neuroscience of episodic memory, emotion regulation, social-emotional processes, and PTSD subtyping to provide a more comprehensive recapitulation of the human experience to trauma in laboratory research.

Publication types

Review
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

Animals
Emotions
Fear
Memory, Episodic*
Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic*
Translational Research, Biomedical

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

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