Jiaying ChiYu Shan Tan0000-0002-6851-1574Hemaniswarri Dewi Dewadas0000-0003-0362-6394Chai Nien Foo0000-0003-1377-7655Lim Yang Mooi2026-10-162026-10-162026-04-2710.3390/nu18091373https://dspace-cris.utar.edu.my/handle/123456789/11773Objectives: This systematic review aims to evaluate the effects of Edible Bird’s Nest (EBN) extract on cognitive function and neuroprotection in animal models and systematicallyAnimals; Antioxidants; Birds; Cognition; Disease Models, Animal; Mice; Neuroprotection; Neuroprotective Agents; Rats; edible bird nest extract; glycoprotein; neuroprotective agent; neurotrophic factor; sialic acid; unclassified drug; antioxidant; neuroprotective agent; animal experiment; animal model; antiinflammatory activity; antioxidant activity; cognition; cognitive defect; cognitive function test; controlled study; data base; degenerative disease; drug effect; drug mechanism; encephalitis; experimental animal; female; food; inflammation; learning; male; menopause related cognitive impairment; mouse; nerve cell plasticity; nervous system inflammation; neuroprotection; nonhuman; oxidative stress; Parkinson disease; Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses; rat; research protocol; Review; risk assessment; rodent model; spatial memory; systematic review; animal; bird; disease model; drug effect review the relevant research evidence. Methods: A systematic search was conducted in the databases of PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, EMBASE, Taylor Francis, Wiley, and Cochrane Library for relevant research published up to October 2025. Search terms included “Edible Bird’s Nest”, “Bird’s Nest Extract”, “EBN”, “Swiftlet nest”, “Collocalia”, “Cognitive”, “Memory”, “Learning”, “Neuroprotection”, “Brain”, “Neural”, “Neurotrophic”, “Animal”, “Mice”, “Mouse”, “Rat”, “Rats”, “In vivo”, and “Model”. Two researchers independently screened all the relevant articles, extracted relevant data, and assessed the quality of included studies using the Systematic Review Centre for Laboratory Animal Experimentation (SYRCLE) risk of bias assessment tool. Results: This systematic review included 11 animal studies, primarily focused on rodent models. Preclinical evidence suggests that Edible Bird’s Nest extract (EBN) may improve performance in several cognitive function tests. Animals treated with EBN appeared to show enhanced spatial memory and learning abilities in experimental settings. At the molecular level, the EBN treatment group showed improved antioxidant capacity and reduced neuroinflammation. Additionally, EBN promoted the expression of neuroprotective factors and enhanced synaptic plasticity. Research suggests that appropriate doses of EBN may have beneficial effects on cognitive enhancement and can alleviate cognitive dysfunction and neuropathological changes. Conclusions: Preliminary evidence from this systematic review suggests that EBN appears to show protective and potentially enhancing effects on cognitive function in animal models. EBN works through multiple mechanisms, including antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, as well as promoting the expression of neurotrophic factors and synaptic plasticity. These findings provide initial support for further investigation of EBN as a potential neuroprotective agent and cognitive enhancer. However, there is heterogeneity and methodological limitations in the research, and more standardized studies and preclinical translational research are needed to further validate the application potential of EBN in neuroprotection. These results provide an important reference for developing EBN-based functional foods and supplements for the prevention and adjuvant treatment of cognitive impairment and neurodegenerative diseases. © 2026 by the authors.en-USanimal studiescognitive functionEBNedible bird’s nestneuroprotectionAnimalsAntioxidantsBirdsCognitionDisease ModelsAnimalMiceNeuroprotectionNeuroprotective AgentsRatsedible bird nest extractglycoproteinneuroprotective agentneurotrophic factorsialic acidunclassified drugantioxidantanimal experimentanimal modelantiinflammatory activityantioxidant activitycognitioncognitive defectcognitive function testcontrolled studydata basedegenerative diseasedrug effectdrug mechanismencephalitisexperimental animalfemalefoodinflammationlearningmalemenopause related cognitive impairmentmousenerve cell plasticitynervous system inflammationnonhumanoxidative stressParkinson diseasePreferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysesratresearch protocolReviewrisk assessmentrodent modelspatial memorysystematic reviewanimalbirddisease modAnimalsdisease modeldrug effecteltext::journal::journal article::review article