Hello /sci/, I have become very interested in neurological health as of late. I am very curious about the neurological systems of other animals compared to humans. I've heard of scientists studying animals such as horses with neurological diseases in hopes that it will help us understand more about human neurological disorders. Tell me /sci/, will this help at all or are our neurological systems too different for anything to come of it.
Dear lil anon,
Any research, when performed correctly will further our scientific understanding. When an animal model is used for human disease research, it is because that particular disease in that species mimics a disease (or group of diseases) in people.
Actually, even now, most of our understanding of physiology and medicine already comes from studies performed in animals. You can look-up beagle studies for heart disease, studies in new-world primates for addictions to pathologic relationships with organizations, and donkey shows for studying TJ disease in mexican women, for more information on this complex human-animal bond.
Good luck in your pursuit of scientific knowledge!