Animal and Cell Models in Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Disease: CurrentInnovations Reviewed

Neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and Parkinson’s disease (PD) remain major global health challenges due to their complex pathology and lack of curative therapies. Advancing therapeutic strategies requires reliable experimental models that recapitulate disease mechanisms. This review summarizes recent developments in animal and in vitro models for AD and PD, with emphasis on their translational relevance and applications. Transgenic mice (APP/PS1, 3xTg-AD), α-synuclein and LRRK2-based models for PD, rat 6- OHDA systems, zebrafish, and non-human primates provide valuable insights into amyloid deposition, tau aggregation, synaptic dysfunction, and motor impairment, though each presents limitations in faithfully mimicking human disease. Complementary in vitro approaches using neuronal and glial cell lines enable targeted studies on oxidative stress, inflammation, amyloid-beta (Aβ) toxicity, tau pathology, and dopaminergic degeneration. Emerging platforms such as CRISPR/Cas9-based editing, induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived organoids, and artificial intelligence-driven drug discovery are further expanding the preclinical landscape. Together, these integrated strategies enhance understanding of neurodegenerative processes and hold promise for the development of effective disease-modifying therapies.