Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-j824f Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-10-31T22:57:32.974Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

3Rs as part of preclinical neuropsychiatric translational crisis, and ARRIVE guidelines as part of solution

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 October 2019

Aage Kristian Olsen Alstrup*
Affiliation:
Department of Nuclear Medicine & PET centre, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
Christian Sonne
Affiliation:
Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Roskilde, Denmark
*
Author for correspondence: Aage Kristian Olsen Alstrup, E-mail: aagols@rm.dk

Abstract

Objective:

The ongoing translational and reproducibility crisis dominates preclinical research today as results from animal studies often disappoint when transferred to human clinical studies. This problem is especially relevant in the field of brain diseases and translational neuropsychiatry.

Methods:

Here, we discuss if the 3R concept could be part of the translational crisis.

Results:

The focus has been on the second R, which is to reduce the variation between the experimental animals, so that the number of animals per study can be reduced. However, the risk of obtaining false results has also increased. We, therefore, recommend that researchers use a broader perspective as also suggest by Russell and Burch who founded the 3Rs when considering the 3R concept, which involves the translational aspects described in detail in their 3R book from 1959.

Conclusion:

This may together with systematic reviews and well-designed and well-performed animal studies and accurate reporting of the results indeed contribute to solving the translational crisis in preclinical research.

Type
Commentary
Copyright
© Scandinavian College of Neuropsychopharmacology 2019 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Alexander, HT, Elissa, VM, Chesler, EJ and Mogil, JS (2018) Comparing phenotypic variation between inbred and outbred mice. Nature Methods 15, 994996.Google Scholar
Cumming, JL, Morstorf, T and Zhung, K (2014) Alzheimer’s disease drug-development pipeline: few candidates, frequent failures. Alzheimer’s Research & Therapy 6, 37.Google Scholar
Hurst, JL and West, RS (2010) Taming anxiety in laboratory mice. Nature Methods 7, 825826.Google ScholarPubMed
Macleod, M (2005) What can systematic review and meta-analysis tell us about the experimental data supporting stroke drug development? International Journal of Neuroprotection and Neuroregeneration 1, 201.Google Scholar
Sorges, RE, Martin, LJ, Isbester, KA, Sotocinal, SG, Rosen, S, Tuttle, AH, Wieskopf, JS, Acland, EL, Dokova, A, Kadoura, B and Leger, P (2014) Olfactory exposure to males, including men causes stress and related analgesia in rodents. Nature Methods 11, 629632.CrossRefGoogle Scholar