Researchers in Sweden have mapped the brain circuits responsible for repetitive and compulsive behaviours in mice, which can inform on disorders such as obsessive-compulsive disorder and addiction. 

In November, EARA advanced its mission on three major international stages — the AALAS National Meeting (Long Beach, USA), the Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting (San Diego, USA) and the SECAL National Congress (Bilbao, Spain) — putting patient engagement, openness and responsible communication at the centre of global discussions on animal research. 

A US study has developed a technology using rats and pigs that can stimulate the immune system to heal the heart after a heart attack.  

An EARA Conference satellite event at Berlin Science Week, co-organised by communications organisation Tierversuche verstehen (TVV), Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Max Delbrück Center and EARA, titled "Turning point in health research – Responsibility and communication in dealing with animal research”, featured a panel discussion on the future of biomedical research in Germany. 

Scientists in Israel have found that sounds experienced by mice early in life shape male and female auditory preferences, suggesting that the same experiences affect brain development differently according to sex. 

A new study from Greece has found that animals are increasingly affected by non-communicable diseases (NCDs), such as cancer, diabetes and obesity – conditions that are also increasingly common in humans. Understanding the shared factors contributing to these diseases could help improve both veterinary and human health. 

The UK government has unveiled a new roadmap to accelerate the phase-out of animals used in science by supporting researchers to transition to alternative methods. 

A recent opinion article in The Transmitter by US neuroscientists Cory Miller, from the University of California, San Diego, J. Anthony Movshon, from New York University, and Doris Tsao, from the University of California, Berkeley, raised concerns over the recent policy changes in Europe and the US that would scale back animal research – including in primates.  

A study in Germany revealed that pig pancreas development closely resembles humans, making pigs valuable for studying pancreatic diseases, including diabetes. 

The Dutch Senate has approved the 2026 budget for Education and Science, including a controversial amendment that will end public funding for primate research at the Biomedical Primate Research Centre (BPRC) by 2030. Starting in 2026, the BPRC must redirect 40% of its subsidy to alternative research methods, increasing by 20% every year.