“Of Marine Mammal Neuroscience and Men”: Needs and Perspectives in Marine Mammal Neuroscience

As neuroscience techniques become increasingly sophisticatedand accessible, their application to marine mammal research remainsunderdeveloped and fragmented. Cetacean and pinniped brains exhibit remarkableevolutionary specializations; yet systematic, reproducible data across speciesare scarce. Ethical, logistical, and methodological constraints hinder samplingand analysis of central nervous system tissues, often limiting studies to smallcohorts and reducing diagnostic accuracy in neuropathological investigations.Gaps persist in understanding neuroanatomical organization, pathogeneticmechanisms of neurodegeneration, and the effects of acoustic and environmentalstressors on brain health. Noninvasive neuroimaging methods such as post-mortemmagnetic resonance imaging and diffusion-weighted imaging offer promise butsuffer from incompatible protocols and limited standardization. In-vitro andmolecular techniques including cellular reprogramming may provide new avenuesfor translational research if harmonized approaches are adopted. We identify a criticalneed for coordinated efforts to standardize best practice protocols for the sampling, storage and systematic analyses of marine mammal nervous tissues. To this end, we propose the formation of an inclusive, multidisciplinary network and invitecollaboration through our Open Science Framework project. By aligning methodologies and broadeninginternational partnerships, we aim to transform marine mammal neuroscience intoa robust contributor to comparative neurobiology and environmental healthmonitoring. This is a call to action to collectively grow this emerging field.