Abstract: The present invention generally relates to a method for the identification of compounds for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. Said method is based on a cell model for neurodegeneration useful for the identification of potentially useful compounds for the treatment or the prevention of a neurodegenerative disease associated with deficient expression of the DDIT3 gene, also known as CHOP.

Abstract: The invention relates to a transgenic non-human animal which can be used as a non-human animal model for studying Alzheimer's disease (AD) and which is characterized in that: it contains a heterologous polynucleotide (transgene) which is inserted in the genome thereof and which comprises the nucleotide sequence of the complete human APP gene together with the regulatory sequences thereof; and it has an endogenous expression pattern similar to that of the hAPP gene in humans. The inventive model can be used to study AD and in the screening of potentially-useful compounds for the prevention and/or treatment of AD.

Abstract: A vertical mother-progeny transmission route of human herpesviruses has been discovered that allows developing an animal model that is useful for identifying compounds that are potentially useful in treating and/or preventing infections and diseases caused by human herpesviruses. The method for identifying such compounds comprises experimentally infecting a non-human female animal with human herpesviruses, before or after administering the compound to be tested, crossbreeding her with a male of the same species and analyzing the presence of human herpesviruses in the progeny and/or determining the effect of said compound on the progeny or the mother. Alternatively, the compounds to be tested can be administered to the descendants carrying human herpesviruses instead of the mother and the effect on such animals is analyzed.