The zebrafish as a model for nociception studies

Abstract

Nociception is the sensory mechanism used to detect cues that can harm an organism. The understanding of the neural networks and molecular controls of the reception of pain remains an ongoing challenge for biologists. While we have made significant progress in identifying a number of molecules and pathways that are involved in transduction of noxious stimuli, from the skin through the sensory receptor cell and from this to the spinal cord on into the central nervous system, we still lack a clear understanding of the perceptual processes, the responses to pain and the regulation of pain perception. Mice and rat animal models have been extensively used for nociception studies. However, the study of pain and noiception in these organisms can be rather laborious, costly and time consuming. Conversely, the use of Drosophila and Caenorhabditis elegans may be affected by the large evolutionary distance between these animals and humans. We outline here the reasons why zebrafish presents a new and attractive model for studying pain reception and responses and the most interesting findings in the study of nociception that have been obtained using the zebrafish model.

Fish do not feel pain and its implications for understanding phenomenal consciousness

“…withdrawal) to assess whether a tissue-damaging event is painful to an animal”. In some cases, the inference that fish have affective states arises because of conflation of nociception with pain (Demski 2013; Kittilsen 2013; Malafoglia et al 2013). Interestingly, sometimes the difference between nociception and pain is recognized but it is still considered safer to err on the side of caution and accept that fish feel pain (Jones 2013).…”

Pain in aquatic animals

“…1C; Sneddon, 2003b;Sneddon et al, 2003a;Mettam et al, 2011;reviewed in Sneddon, 2012). Opioid receptors as well as the action of non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) on cyclo-oxygenase (COX2) enzyme are also highly conserved between fish and mammals (reviewed in Malafoglia et al, 2013). Thus, the pain neural apparatus in fish is directly comparable with the mammalian system and operates similarly.…”

Zebrafish: a novel model in neuropsychopharmacological research

“…Malafloglia V et al have charted the explanations why zebrafish presents a novel and attractive model for studying pain reception and responses and the most interesting findings in the study of nociception that have been obtained using the zebrafish model. 46 Gonzalez-Nunez V et al have described the zebrafish opioid system, a unique experimental method to unravel the molecular mechanisms that underlie opioid activity. They have established zebrafish opioid receptors and peptides.…”