The effects of exploratory behavior on physical activity in a common animal model of human disease, zebrafish (Danio rerio)

Abstract

Zebrafish (Danio rerio) are widely accepted as a multidisciplinary vertebrate model for neurobehavioral and clinical studies, and more recently have become established as a model for exercise physiology and behavior. Individual differences in activity level (e.g., exploration) have been characterized in zebrafish, however, how different levels of exploration correspond to differences in motivation to engage in swimming behavior has not yet been explored. We screened individual zebrafish in two tests of exploration: the open field and novel tank diving tests. The fish were then exposed to a tank in which they could choose to enter a compartment with a flow of water (as a means of testing voluntary motivation to exercise). After a 2-day habituation period, behavioral observations were conducted. We used correlative analyses to investigate the robustness of the different exploration tests. Due to the complexity of dependent behavioral variables, we used machine learning to determine the personality variables that were best at predicting swimming behavior. Our results show that contrary to our predictions, the correlation between novel tank diving test variables and open field test variables was relatively weak. Novel tank diving variables were more correlated with themselves than open field variables were to each other. Males exhibited stronger relationships between behavioral variables than did females. In terms of swimming behavior, fish that spent more time in the swimming zone spent more time actively swimming, however, swimming behavior was inconsistent across the time of the study. All relationships between swimming variables and exploration tests were relatively weak, though novel tank diving test variables had stronger correlations. Machine learning showed that three novel tank diving variables (entries top/bottom, movement rate, average top entry duration) and one open field variable (proportion of time spent frozen) were the best predictors of swimming behavior, demonstrating that the novel tank diving test is a powerful tool to investigate exploration. Increased knowledge about how individual differences in exploration may play a role in swimming behavior in zebrafish is fundamental to their utility as a model of exercise physiology and behavior.

Age-related alterations in the behavioral response to a novel environment in the African turquoise killifish (Nothobranchius furzeri)

“…In addition, these variables were analyzed per minute to test for temporal behavior patterns within an age group. Immobility is defined as a velocity lower than 0.1 cm/s for a duration of a minimum of 1 s ( Cachat et al, 2010 ; DePasquale et al, 2022 ). Mobility means movement of the fish even if the center point remains in the same position.…”

“…When treated with nicotine, which has anxiolytic effects, this diving response was not present anymore ( Bencan et al, 2009 ). The novel tank diving test typically studies exploration, diving, and immobility/freezing behavior ( Blaser and Rosemberg, 2012 ; DePasquale et al, 2022 ). Different teleost species display different behaviors in these types of behavioral tests ( Egan et al, 2009 ; Cachat et al, 2010 ; Matsunaga and Watanabe, 2010 ; Godwin et al, 2012 ; Audira et al, 2021 ; DePasquale et al, 2022 ; Lucon-Xiccato et al, 2022 ; Saiz et al, 2023 ).…”

“…The novel tank diving test typically studies exploration, diving, and immobility/freezing behavior ( Blaser and Rosemberg, 2012 ; DePasquale et al, 2022 ). Different teleost species display different behaviors in these types of behavioral tests ( Egan et al, 2009 ; Cachat et al, 2010 ; Matsunaga and Watanabe, 2010 ; Godwin et al, 2012 ; Audira et al, 2021 ; DePasquale et al, 2022 ; Lucon-Xiccato et al, 2022 ; Saiz et al, 2023 ). In this study, we, therefore, tested the new aging model organism N. furzeri in the open field test and the novel tank diving test over its adult lifespan to set a baseline for future behavior experiments.…”

Crosstalk between Bone and Muscles during Physical Activity

“…The ongoing progress in lipidomic profiling offers opportunities for further understanding the effects of lipid-modulating gene expression and other roles in lipid signaling on bone and muscle. Such knowledge is crucial for preserving human health and mitigating the development of diseases [ 100 ].…”

Behavioral effects of visual stimuli in adult zebrafish using a novel eight-tank imaging system

“…Compared to the behavioral studies in zebrafish larvae, the analysis of behavior in zebrafish adults is limited. In zebrafish adults, most of the studies focus on locomotor effects ( DePasquale et al, 2022 ), social interactions ( Buske and Gerlai, 2011 ; Green et al, 2012 ; Sykes et al, 2018 ), and cognitive behaviors ( DePasquale et al, 2021 ). Many studies characterizing social behaviors image adult zebrafish in a relatively high-throughput fashion which involves using multiple animals in one tank and labeling individual animals ( Buske and Gerlai, 2011 ; Green et al, 2012 ; Perez-Escudero et al, 2014 ; Sykes et al, 2018 ).…”