FOI release

FOI2026/00406: Mouse Models of Neuropsychiatric Disease

This request was refused in part, so we didn't provide some of the information the requester asked for. This may include information where we can neither confirm nor deny that we hold it.

Case reference FOI2026/00406

Received 11 May 2026

Published 7 July 2026

Request

Request Received: 11 May 2026

I am writing to request information under the Freedom of Information Act concerning procedures under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986.

I understand that the Mary Lyon Centre has/will be providing the MURIDAE Cluster with mouse models of neuropsychiatric disease, including schizophrenia. My questions are as follows:

1) Could you please describe how such models of mental disease will be created, both in terms of the method adopted and the protocols involved? (It is, I believe, recognised within the field of psychiatric research that such brain disorders arise through a combination of genetic and environmental influences.)

2) What characteristics/phenotype would suggest such a model of neuropsychiatric disorder? Please distinguish between different disorders if the characteristics/phenotypes differ.

3) Which early life measures are being referred to in ‘Modalities for Understanding, Recording and Integrating Data Across Early life’, (https://nmgn.mrc.ukri.org/clusters/muridae/) when it states: ‘as proof of principle, we will first use an existing model that has been previously characterised both as an adult and on a limited number of early-life measures.’

Response

Response Sent: 7 July 2026

Full details of this response are available in the attached document.

Documents

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