啮齿类动物的社会隔离饲养已被证实能诱发成年动物的认知和行为功能障碍，因此常用于建立拟精神分裂症的动物模型。
但已有的研究工作所采用的社会隔离是从出生后21d至成年，应激持续时间较长，经历了幼年-成年早期-成年阶段，从而无法确定早期应激诱发认知障碍的“关键期”。而此关键期的确定对于进一步研究精神疾病认知障碍的发生、发展机制，以及随后的脑区内药物注射等工作具有重要意义。
为观察青少年阶段社会隔离对成年大鼠潜伏抑制和内侧前额叶和伏隔核内脑源性神经营养因子水平的影响，北京大学的邵枫所在课题组将成年大鼠于鼠龄38-51d时隔离饲养。隔离饲养干扰成年大鼠潜伏抑制，并显着提高内侧前额叶内的脑源性神经营养因子水平。实验结果证实，青少年社会隔离是诱发神经发育认知障碍的“关键期”，可用于建立神经发育障碍疾病的动物模型。
相关文章发表在《中国神经再生研究（英文版）》杂志2013年4月第11期上。
生物谷推荐英文摘要：
Neural Regeneration Research DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1673-5374.2013.11.008
Adolescent social isolation influences cognitive function in adult rats
Feng Shao, Xiao Han, Shuang Shao, Weiwen Wang
Adolescence is a critical period for neurodevelopment. Evidence from animal studies suggests that isolated rearing can exert negative effects on behavioral and brain development. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of adolescent social isolation on latent inhibition and brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels in the forebrain of adult rats. Male Wistar rats were randomly divided into adolescent isolation (isolated housing, 38–51 days of age) and social groups. Latent inhibition was tested at adulthood. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels were measured in the medial prefrontal cortex and nucleus accumbens by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Adolescent social isolation impaired latent inhibition and increased brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels in the medial prefrontal cortex of young adult rats. These data suggest that adolescent social isolation has a profound effect on cognitive function and neurotrophin levels in adult rats and may be used as an animal model of neurodevelopmental disorders.
