Assessing Habituation Phenotypes in Adult Zebrafish: Intra- and Inter-Trial Habituation in the Novel Tank Test

Raymond, Jolia; Chanin, Simon; Stewart, Adam; Kyzar, Evan J.; Gaikwad, Siddharth; Roth, Andrew; Bruce, Indya; Fryar, Caroline; Varga, Danielle; Enriquez, Joseph; Bagawandoss, Sidarth; Pham, Mimi; Zapolsky, Ivan; Green, Jeremy; Desmond, Daniel; Hester, Jonathan; Kalueff, Allan V.

doi:10.1007/978-1-61779-597-8_21

Cited by 18 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 35 publications

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“…Stress and anxiety-like states can be inferred in the zebrafish model by measuring various behavioral responses such as shoaling, immobility, erratic movements, and the detection of jumping in response to various stimuli such as the introduction of pharmaceuticals, visual stimuli, and alarm pheromones (Egan et al, 2009; Maximino et al, 2014; Wong et al, 2010). The novel tank test is a well-validated measure of anxiety-like behavior in zebrafish and involves measuring freezing and exploratory behavior upon introduction to a new tank (Kysil et al, 2017; Mezzomo et al, 2016; Raymond et al, 2012). Another behavioral paradigm, the light-dark test, measures anxiety-like behavior in the form of scototaxis, or light avoidance, in response to pharmacological or behavioral manipulation (Maximino et al, 2010; Stewart et al, 2011).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Anxiety-like behavior and whole-body cortisol responses to components of energy drinks in zebrafish (Danio rerio)

Alia¹,

Petrunich-Rutherford²

2019

PeerJ

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The current study investigated the independent and combined effects of caffeine and taurine on anxiety-like behavior and neuroendocrine responses in adult zebrafish (Danio rerio). Caffeine (1,3,7-trimethylpurine-2,6-dione), the world’s most commonly used psychoactive drug, acts as an adenosine receptor blocker and a mild central nervous system stimulant. However, excessive use of caffeine is associated with heightened anxiety levels. Taurine (2-aminoethanesulfonic acid), a semi-essential amino acid synthesized within the human brain, has been hypothesized to play a role in regulating anxiolytic behavior. Caffeine and taurine are two common additives in energy drinks and are often found in high concentrations in these beverages. However, few studies have investigated the interaction of these two chemicals with regards to anxiety measures. A suitable vertebrate to examine anxiety-like behavior and physiological stress responses is the zebrafish, which has shown promise due to substantial physiological and genetic homology with humans. Anxiety-like behavior in zebrafish can be determined by analyzing habituation to novelty when fish are placed into a novel tank and scototaxis (light avoidance) behavior in the light-dark test. Stress-related neuroendocrine responses can be measured in zebrafish by analyzing whole-body cortisol levels. The goal of this study was to determine if exposure to caffeine, taurine, or a combination of the two compounds altered anxiety-like behavior and whole-body cortisol levels in zebrafish relative to control. Zebrafish were individually exposed to either caffeine (100 mg/L), taurine (400 mg/L), or both for 15 min. Zebrafish in the control group were handled in the same manner but were only exposed to system tank water. After treatment, fish were transferred to the novel tank test or the light-dark test. Behavior was tracked for the first 6 min in the novel tank and 15 min in the light-tark test. Fifteen min after introduction to the behavioral task, fish were euthanized for the analysis of whole-body cortisol levels. The results demonstrate that caffeine treatment decreased the amount of exploration in the top of the novel tank and increased scototaxis behavior in the light-dark test, which supports the established anxiogenic effect of acute exposure to caffeine. Taurine alone did not alter basal levels of anxiety-like behavioral responses nor ameliorated the anxiogenic effects of caffeine on behavior when the two compounds were administered concurrently. None of the drug treatments altered basal levels of whole-body cortisol. The current results of this study suggest that, at least at this dose and time of exposure, taurine does not mitigate the anxiety-producing effects of caffeine when administered in combination, such as with energy drink consumption.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Anxiety-like behavior and whole-body cortisol responses to components of energy drinks in zebrafish (Danio rerio)

Alia¹,

Petrunich-Rutherford²

2019

PeerJ

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“…For example, both associative and non-associative learning has been extensively tested in zebrafish, including cue-based and spatial learning as well as long-term and short-term memory [ 18 - 22 ]. Habituation, extensively investigated in animal models as an evolutionarily conserved adaptive behavior relevant to cognition [ 22 - 25 ], is also being increasingly assessed in zebrafish, as researchers continue to decipher the complexity of fish behaviors [ 21 , 22 , 26 ]. Notably, the habituation response in zebrafish can be modulated through various pharmacological manipulations, and is either attenuated or abolished depending on the receptor class targeted by the drug [ 26 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Developing Utility of Zebrafish Models for Cognitive Enhancers Research

Stewart

Kalueff²

2012

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Whereas cognitive impairment is a common symptom in multiple brain disorders, predictive and high-throughput animal models of cognition and behavior are becoming increasingly important in the field of translational neuroscience research. In particular, reliable models of the cognitive deficits characteristic of numerous neurobehavioral disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease and schizophrenia have become a significant focus of investigation. While rodents have traditionally been used to study cognitive phenotypes, zebrafish (Danio rerio) are gaining popularity as an excellent model to complement current translational neuroscience research. Here we discuss recent advances in pharmacological and genetic approaches using zebrafish models to study cognitive impairments and to discover novel cognitive enhancers and neuroprotective mechanisms.

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“…In addition, zebrafish are not exempt from the physiological and behavioral adaptations in response to variable stressors, and different testing paradigms have been used to investigate behaviors characteristic of anxiety. Among these models, the novel tank test has been a powerful tool in analyzing habituation and motor activity (Raymond et al, 2012; Wong et al, 2010). In conditions where zebrafish have not been exposed to factors that may induce anxiety-like behavior, fish generally increase exploratory behavior and decrease freezing across the 6 min of the testing period (Cachat et al, 2010).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Acute net stress of young adult zebrafish (Danio rerio) is not sufficient to increase anxiety-like behavior and whole-body cortisol

Aponte¹,

Petrunich-Rutherford²

2019

PeerJ

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In recent years, the zebrafish (Danio rerio) has become a popular model to study the mechanisms of physiological and behavioral effects of stress, due to the similarity in neural structures and biochemical pathways between zebrafish and mammals. Previous research in this vertebrate animal model has demonstrated an increase in whole-body cortisol resulting from an acute (30-second) net handling stress, but it remains unclear whether such a stressor will concomitantly increase anxiety-like behavior. In addition, as the previous study examined the effects of this acute stressor in adult zebrafish after a brief period of isolation, it is unclear whether this stressor would be effective in eliciting cortisol increases in younger aged subjects without isolation. In the current study, young adult zebrafish (approximately 90 days post-fertilization) were briefly exposed to a net handling stressor and were subsequently subjected to either the novel tank test or the light/dark preference test. The novel tank test was used to measure exploration and habituation in response to a novel environment, and the light/dark preference test was used to measure locomotor activity and scototaxis behavior. All subjects were sacrificed 15 minutes post-stressor and were analyzed for whole-body levels of cortisol. Contrary to expectations, there was no effect of acute net handling on cortisol levels. Similarly, acute net handling did not significantly induce anxiety-like behavior during the novel tank test or the light/dark preference test. Our findings demonstrate that there are possible developmental differences in response to an acute net handling stress, as we did not observe alterations in hormonal or behavioral measures of anxiety in young adult zebrafish. Alternatively, if zebrafish are not isolated before the stressor, they may be more resilient to a brief acute stressor. These results suggest the need for a different or more intense acute stressor in order further explore neuroendocrine mechanisms and anxiety-like behavior at this developmental stage in the zebrafish animal model.

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Assessing Habituation Phenotypes in Adult Zebrafish: Intra- and Inter-Trial Habituation in the Novel Tank Test

Cited by 18 publications

References 35 publications

Anxiety-like behavior and whole-body cortisol responses to components of energy drinks in zebrafish (Danio rerio)

Anxiety-like behavior and whole-body cortisol responses to components of energy drinks in zebrafish (Danio rerio)

The Developing Utility of Zebrafish Models for Cognitive Enhancers Research

Acute net stress of young adult zebrafish (Danio rerio) is not sufficient to increase anxiety-like behavior and whole-body cortisol

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