Neurogenesis in Neurotoxin-induced Animal Models for Parkinson's Disease-A Review of the Current Status

Animal models for Parkinson's disease (PD) are essential for understanding its pathogenesis and for development and testing of new therapies. Discoveries of endogenous neurogenesis in the adult mammalian brain give new insight into the cell-based approach for treatment of neurodegenerative disorders, such as PD. Although a great deal of interest has been focused on endogenous neurogenesis in neurotoxin-induced animal models for PD, it still remains controversial whether neural stem cells migrate into the injured area and contribute to repopulation of depleted dopaminergic neurons in neurotoxin-injured adult brains. The purpose of this review is to examine the data available regarding neurogenesis in neurotoxin-induced animal models of PD. It is hoped that data from the animal investigations available in the literature will promote understanding of the neurotoxin-induced animal models for PD. (J Toxicol Pathol 2009; 22: 101-108)