Animal models for posttraumatic stress disorder: An overview of what is used in research

Table 1 A list of posttraumatic stress disorder animal models and the separate criteria according to DSM-5 that each model has been reported to meet (according to PubMed literature search, individual references not listed)

Animal model for PTSD	DSM-5 criteria1
Single-prolonged stress	A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H
Restraint stress	A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H
Foot shock	A, B, C, E, F, G, H
Stress-enhanced fear learning	A, B, C, E, F, G, H
Underwater trauma	A, B, E, F, G, H
Predator-based psychosocial stress/predator scent stress	A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H
Housing instability	A, B, E, G, H
Social instability	A, B, E, F, G, H
Early life stress	A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H
Social defeat	A, B, C, E, F, G, H

¹The listed criteria are: Presence of a stressor (A), intrusive symptoms (B), avoidance (C), negative changes in cognition and mood (D), changes in arousal and reactivity (E), persistence of symptoms (F), functional significance (G) and exclusion of other factors that may cause the displayed symptoms (H). PTSD: Posttraumatic stress disorder.

Table 2 A comparison of animal models based on Yehuda and Antelman’s criteria and available publications

Criterion	Most suitable models per criterion1
Even brief stressors induce biological/behavioural effects	All models are comparably suitable
Intensity-dependent responses	FS, SEFL, RS, PPS/PSS
Persistence of alterations over time	All except HI
Bi-directional expression of behavioural changes	SPS, SD
Reliable production of interindividual variability	FS, PPS/PSS, SD

¹The animal models listed here are: Foot shock (FS), stress-enhanced fear learning (SEFL), restraint stress (RS), predator-based psychosocial stress (PPS)/predator scent stress (PSS), housing instability (HI), single-prolonged stress (SPS) and social defeat (SD).