Abstract
Recently, researchers have begun to advocate use of an animal model for understanding compulsive hoarding in humans. Nevertheless, a comprehensive review of the literature for this argument is lacking. We compare data for compulsive hoarding behavior in humans with hoarding in several vertebrates (rat, bird, and primate) to examine the potential validity of an animal model of hoarding. Although the strength of each animal model varies, there is provisional evidence in support of an analogue between hoarding in nonhuman animals (especially rodents) and humans, most notably on neurobiological grounds. Nevertheless, substantially more evidence is needed before this relationship can be confirmed with confidence. We identify gaps in the literature and offer suggestions for further investigation of the validity of animal models of human hoarding.
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