In this Perspective, the authors summarize the current knowledge on the post-COVID-19 condition, focusing on the neurological manifestations, and discuss the applicability of existing animal models to recapitulate human condition.

Poor replicability in animal research can be a result of low external validity driven by rigorous standardization of study populations. This study investigates how heterogenization of study populations by using mice from different breeding sites might affect the replicability of animal studies conducted in a single facility. The findings suggest that heterogenization by breeding site has limited capacity to improve replicability in animal research.

The 3R principles provide an ethical framework for animal research throughout the world. However, despite the increasing awareness of these principles, there is still a lot of room for improving their implementation, especially when it comes to reduction. By combining Bayesian statistics with a shift in experimental design, here we present an entirely new idea to reduce animal numbers within experiments.

Differences in standard chow diets can influence mouse model phenotypes and impact experimental reproducibility. Here Knuth et al. show that the timing during which mice are exposed to standard chow can also affect phenotypic outcomes.

The marble burying task (MBT) is used to measure anxiety-like behavior, relying on a snapshot of the number of marbles buried at the end of the test. This Brief Communication introduces a more extensive behavioral analysis to improve the translational value of MBT for clinical psychological phenotypes.

This Protocol describes a minimally invasive technique for central nervous system drug delivery in rodents. The procedure allows the use of the transnasal route to deliver blood–brain barrier-impermeant drugs.

This study describes a new pig model of autism induced by embryonic exposure to valproic acid. The pig model displays behavioral alterations, abnormal gait and increased anxiety, which recapitulate key features of autism.

This systematic review identifies substantial heterogeneity in the experimental conditions in zebrafish nutrition studies, highlighting the urgent need for further research and the importance of standardized parameters for future zebrafish studies.

The authors describe a novel mouse model of cardiovascular–kidney–metabolic syndrome induced by unilateral nephrectomy and a Western diet rich in carbohydrates, fat and salt, which could be used to study human condition and identify therapies.