BEHAVIORAL-EFFECTS OF FETAL NEURAL TRANSPLANTS - RELEVANCE TO HUNTINGTONS-DISEASE

Animal models of Huntington's disease (HD) and other neurological diso rders have proven useful for examining the anatomical, neurochemical, and behavioral alterations in these diseases. Investigators have taken advantage of new excitotoxic models that appear to successfully simul ate the neurobiological and behavioral characteristics of HD with rema rkable homology. Selective excitotoxic compounds allow for a more prec ise and controlled lesion with which to examine the relationship betwe en striatal damage and behavioral abnormalities. In addition, these mo dels provide new approaches for developing and testing various treatme nts for HD. Fetal neural tissue transplanted into the excitotoxin-lesi oned animal can integrate with the host brain and promote neurochemica l and functional recovery. Neural grafting paradigms may be viewed as potential therapies for treating neurodegenerative diseases and as aid s in deciphering the regenerative mechanisms of the central nervous sy stem. Further research is necessary, however, to determine the negativ e and positive effects of neural transplantation. In addition, existin g behavioral models need to be refined to allow for better evaluation of the subtle topographic changes in behavior resulting from fetal tis sue transplantation.