Laterality of rodent behaviour: Why it matters for basic and clinical neuroscience and an outline for reverse-translational laterality research

Rodents, particularly rats and mice, are among the principal animal models in basic and clinical neuroscience. In humans, behavioural laterality, such as handedness, has been shown to substantially influence outcomes in both experimental and clinical research. In contrast, behavioural laterality in rodents is rarely considered in published studies, despite its potential relevance for interpreting neurobiological findings. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the significance of behavioural laterality in basic and clinical neuroscience, integrating evidence from human and rodent research. Current approaches to assessing laterality in rodents are summarized and contrasted with established methods used in humans, highlighting key methodological and conceptual differences. Systematic inclusion of behavioural laterality measures appears essential to fully leverage the explanatory power of rodent models for understanding brain organization and its relevance to neurological and psychiatric disorders. Moreover, progress in translational laterality research requires a complementary reverse-translational strategy in which insights from rodent models inform targeted investigations in humans. To advance this approach, a structured framework for empirical research in humans is proposed, derived from key findings and methodological strategies in rodent studies. This framework is intended to strengthen conceptual integration between animal and human research, aiming to improve the translational impact of laterality research.