Pre-clinical models of cognitive dysfunction in schizophrenia: new avenues to addressing unmet needs

Substantial evidence supports the claim that neurocognitive deficits, rather than positive or negative symptoms, are the core features of schizophrenia that are the most effective predictors of the psychosocial functioning of patients. Unfortunately, these cognitive processes are only minimally affected by even 'next generation' antipsychotic treatments, indicating that they represent an important unmet need. Despite the centrality of cognitive impairments to the psychopathology of schizophrenia, the development of animal models of clinically-relevant neurocognitive processes, with the possible exception of working memory, has lagged far behind the development of animal models for negative or positive symptoms. Here, I will outline progress to date towards validating animal models of cognitive dysfunction in schizophrenia. I will also propose how models may be better implemented to facilitate the generation of data that is as meaningful as possible for clinical neuroscience and treatment research. In this way, pre-clinical neuroscience may be able to make even more practical and relevant contributions to schizophrenia research and treatment development. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.