Animal models of maternal depression for monitoring neurodevelopmental changes occurring in dams and offspring

Depression is one of the most prevalent and life-threatening forms of mental illness affecting about 20% of the population. Depressive disorder as a biochemical phenomenon, was first recognized in the mid-20th century of research, however the etiology of this disease is still not well understood. Although the need to investigate depressive disorders has emerged from the needs of clinical practice, there are many preclinical studies, which brought new insights into this field of research. During experimental work it was crucial to develop appropriate animal models, where the neurohumoral mechanism was similar to humans. In the past decades, several animal models of maternal depression have been developed. We describe the three most popular rodent models of maternal depression which are based on 1. stress prior to gestation, 2. prenatal stress and 3. early life stress. The above-mentioned animal models appear to fulfill many criteria for a relevant animal model of depression; they alter the regulation of the HPA, induce signs of depression-like behavior and several antidepressant treatments can reverse the state induced by maternal stress. Although, they are not able to model all aspects of maternal depression, they are useful models for monitoring neurodevelopmental changes occurring in dams and offspring.