The establishment of animal models or the application of animal behavioral tests plays an important role in the study of neurological diseases. In basic neuroscience research, animals are used to develop a variety of behavioral tests and disease models to study the function of the nervous system and the mechanisms involved in the diseases that affect it.
Why Do We Need to Use Animals in Neuroscience Research
- The brain connects all the organs and systems in our body and is the foundation for all aspects of human health and disease. Its enormous complexity makes it necessary to have a multidisciplinary and methodological support in its research process. Animal behavior tests provide a good behavioral approach to basic research in brain science.
- Currently, our treatments for brain disorders are usually directed at non-specific targets and may cause some side effects. Therefore, the use of animals to study the function of the brain is essential for both basic research and drug testing.
- Brain disorders may include multiple aspects of the brain, spinal cord, emotions, and sensory disorders. These diseases affect the normal life and health of people. While non-animal research methods at other levels have made some progress in the field, the use of living and behaving organisms to study the brain remains the most promising approach for disease research and new drug development.