Animal Model Comparison for Neurodegenerative Disease Therapeutics

SUMMARY

# Animal Model Comparison for Neurodegenerative Disease Therapeutics ## Background and Rationale This comprehensive study addresses a critical gap in translational Alzheimer's disease (AD) research by systematically comparing the predictive validity of multiple animal models for therapeutic development. Current AD drug development has a >99% failure rate, largely attributed to poor translation from preclinical models to human pathology. This multi-phase comparative study will evaluate transgenic

METHODOLOGY NOTES

Phase 1 (Months 1-3): Establish all model systems. Generate iPSC lines from 20 AD patients and 10 controls, differentiate to cortical neurons over 8 weeks. Culture human brain organoids from identical iPSC lines for 12 weeks. Breed and age transgenic mice (n=40 per strain) to 6-12 months. Obtain human post-mortem samples (n=30 AD, n=20 controls) from brain banks. Phase 2 (Months 4-8): Baseline characterization using immunohistochemistry for Aβ42, phospho-tau (AT8), synaptophysin, and NeuN. Perform cognitive testing in mice using Morris water maze and novel object recognition. Conduct electrophysiological recordings and calcium imaging in cell cultures. Phase 3 (Months 9-15): Therapeutic interventions across all systems. Test donepezil (5mg/kg mice, 10μM cultures), memantine (20mg/kg mice, 20μM cultures), anti-Aβ antibody (10mg/kg mice, 1μg/ml cultures), and tau kinase inhibitor (experimental doses). Treatment duration: 8 weeks for mice, 4 weeks for cultures. Phase 4 (Months 16-18): Pos