Non-human primates (NHP) are becoming increasingly important laboratory animals, especially in the field of neuroscience, where many significant breakthroughs have been made, including research on brain development, neurodegenerative diseases, and psychiatric disorders. However, as their breeding and use grows, biosafety and animal ethics issues should be considered. This review summarizes the application and challenges of NHP laboratory animals in the neuroscience field from the aspects of an NHP overview, feeding and operation, biosafety, and animal ethics.