Publisher's Synopsis
Research in modern neuroscience focuses almost exclusively on a very small set of model species, but the rationale for the selection of these species is rarely discussed at length, even though many findings obtained in model species do not generalize to other species, including humans. To remedy this reticence, this Special Issue presents contributions from nine experts and their research groups. The papers review the history and philosophy of the model species approach, discuss concrete problems in the selection of appropriate species for research, highlight select findings from important model species, and make specific recommendations on how to increase species diversity in biological research. These writings represent a unique overview of the pros and cons of specific model species, and of the model species paradigm more generally. This publication should prove especially useful to scientists who are in the process of deciding which species should occupy their research attention.
