Animal Models for Neurobiological Diseases
A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Neurobiology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2026
Special Issue Editors
Interests: neuroscience; neurophysiology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: neuroscience; neuropharmacology; antioxidants; neuroinflammation; models of neurodegenerative diseases; aging
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
This Special Issue aims to uncover the intricate molecular mechanisms driving complex and often devastating disorders of the brain and nervous system, including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, and various neuropsychiatric conditions. This field extends beyond simple descriptive pathology, seeking to precisely recreate core features of human diseases in accessible animal models, primarily using mice and rats through sophisticated genetic engineering (e.g., conditional knockouts, CRISPR-mediated knock-ins, and transgenic overexpression) or targeted pharmacological techniques. The central goal is to transition from observational phenotyping to a deep understanding of fundamental molecular and cellular events. Key objectives within this scope include genetic pathway identification—determining how specific familial gene mutations disrupt protein homeostasis, induce mitochondrial dysfunction, and impair synaptic signaling—and protein dynamics analysis, elucidating the precise mechanisms of abnormal protein aggregation (e.g., Aβ, tau, and α-synuclein) and how these aggregates propagate between neurons. Furthermore, research within this scope focuses on neuroinflammation signaling and the discovery of novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets. These animal models are indispensable platforms for mechanistic interrogation, providing the scientific rationale required for advancing novel therapeutic strategies to human clinical trials.
Dr. Hiroki Toyoda
Dr. Jana Tchekalarova
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. There is an Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal. For details about the APC please see here. Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- animal models
- mice
- zebrafish
- Alzheimer's disease
- Parkinson's disease
- multiple sclerosis
- neuropsychiatric conditions
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