1
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Munson A, DePasquale C. Lessons in cognition: A review of maze designs and procedures used to measure spatial learning in fish. JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY 2024. [PMID: 39267308 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.15918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2024] [Revised: 08/06/2024] [Accepted: 08/13/2024] [Indexed: 09/17/2024]
Abstract
The use of different mazes to assess spatial learning has become more common in fish behavior studies in recent decades. This increase in fish cognition research has opened the door to numerous possibilities for exciting and diverse questions, such as identifying ecological drivers of spatial cognition and understanding the role individual variation plays in navigational abilities. There are many different types of mazes, each with its own specific considerations, making it challenging to determine exactly which spatial test is the most relevant and appropriate for a particular experiment. Many spatial mazes, such as the T-maze and Y-maze, have been successfully adapted from rodent studies, particularly with respect to zebrafish, a widely accepted non-mammalian model in biomedical studies. Standardization across studies is increasing with these easily accessible maze designs, validating them for use in fish; however, variations in design (e.g., length of arms and scale) and procedure still exist, and the impact of these variations on results is largely unknown. The efforts to standardize mazes outside zebrafish work are also more limited. Other mazes have been developed specifically for use on fish, with design modifications varying widely, making it difficult to draw comparisons. In this review, we have highlighted the many design and procedural elements that should be considered for the acquisition of reliable behavioral data, with the goal of drawing readers' attention to aspects of experimentation that are often not given the careful consideration that they deserve. We then argue that additional focused research and reporting is needed to produce more reliable methods in spatial learning research across a broader range of subjects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amelia Munson
- Department of Wildlife, Fish and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Cairsty DePasquale
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University-Altoona, Altoona, Pennsylvania, USA
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2
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Abozaid A, Gerlai R. A search for effective reinforcers in appetitive conditioning for adult zebrafish: Ecologically relevant unconditioned stimuli. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2024; 131:110946. [PMID: 38237886 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2024.110946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2023] [Revised: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/14/2024] [Indexed: 01/21/2024]
Abstract
Learning and memory related brain disorders represent a large unmet medical need. Laboratory studies with animals may model brain disorders and facilitate uncovering their mechanisms. The zebrafish has been proposed for such studies. However, numerous factors that influence performance in learning tasks have yet to be understood in zebrafish. One such factor is what motivates zebrafish. Here we introduce a novel reinforcer, an ecologically relevant unconditioned stimulus (US). We placed a photograph of gravel underneath quarter of the bottom of an experimental tank on one side and also positioned artificial plants there, the "natural" US. First, we showed that this stimulus was preferred by zebrafish. Next, we investigated whether this stimulus could serve as US for associative learning. We marked the walls of the tank on the side where the US was presented with red paper, the conditioned stimulus (CS+) we found neutral before, and we also marked the walls on the other side of the tank where no US was placed with blue paper (CS-). In addition to fish receiving this "paired" training, we also ran unpaired training with another group of zebrafish, in which the fish saw the US associated with blue and red in a random manner. After having trained the fish in this manner, we tested the performance of the paired and unpaired group of zebrafish in a memory probe trial during which no US was present, and only the CSs (blue and red walls) were shown. We found the paired group of zebrafish to show significant preference for the CS+, as they spent more time and swam closer to the red side compared to the unpaired group and compared to chance. We conclude that ecologically relevant stimuli can serve as efficient US in appetitive conditioning of zebrafish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amira Abozaid
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, 25 Harbord Street Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3G5, Canada
| | - Robert Gerlai
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, 25 Harbord Street Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3G5, Canada; Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga, 3359 Mississauga Road, Mississauga, Ontario, L5L 1C6, Canada.
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3
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Bai Y, Henry J, Cheng E, Perry S, Mawdsley D, Wong BBM, Kaslin J, Wlodkowic D. Toward Real-Time Animal Tracking with Integrated Stimulus Control for Automated Conditioning in Aquatic Eco-Neurotoxicology. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:19453-19462. [PMID: 37956114 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c07013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
Aquatic eco-neurotoxicology is an emerging field that requires new analytical systems to study the effects of pollutants on animal behaviors. This is especially true if we are to gain insights into one of the least studied aspects: the potential perturbations that neurotoxicants can have on cognitive behaviors. The paucity of experimental data is partly caused by a lack of low-cost technologies for the analysis of higher-level neurological functions (e.g., associative learning) in small aquatic organisms. Here, we present a proof-of-concept prototype that utilizes a new real-time animal tracking software for on-the-fly video analysis and closed-loop, external hardware communications to deliver stimuli based on specific behaviors in aquatic organisms, spanning three animal phyla: chordates (fish, frog), platyhelminthes (flatworm), and arthropods (crustacean). The system's open-source software features an intuitive graphical user interface and advanced adaptive threshold-based image segmentation for precise animal detection. We demonstrate the precision of animal tracking across multiple aquatic species with varying modes of locomotion. The presented technology interfaces easily with low-cost and open-source hardware such as the Arduino microcontroller family for closed-loop stimuli control. The new system has potential future applications in eco-neurotoxicology, where it could enable new opportunities for cognitive research in diverse small aquatic model organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yutao Bai
- The Neurotoxicology Laboratory, School of Science, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC 3083, Australia
| | - Jason Henry
- The Neurotoxicology Laboratory, School of Science, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC 3083, Australia
| | - Eva Cheng
- Faculty of Engineering and IT, School of Electrical and Data Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Stuart Perry
- Faculty of Engineering and IT, School of Electrical and Data Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - David Mawdsley
- Defence Science and Technology Group, Melbourne, VIC 3207, Australia
| | - Bob B M Wong
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Jan Kaslin
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Donald Wlodkowic
- The Neurotoxicology Laboratory, School of Science, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC 3083, Australia
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4
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Tsang B, Venditti V, Javier CM, Gerlai R. The ram cichlid (Mikrogeophagus ramirezi) learns an associative task: a new fish species for memory research. Sci Rep 2023; 13:13781. [PMID: 37612369 PMCID: PMC10447575 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-40739-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 08/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Fish are the most species rich and evolutionarily oldest vertebrate taxon. This represents opportunities for biologists who intend to employ laboratory animals in their comparative or translational research. Yet, the overwhelming majority of such studies use a single fish species, the zebrafish, a suboptimal strategy from the comparative standpoint. Neuronal plasticity (learning and memory) is perhaps one of the most complex biological phenomena from a mechanistic standpoint, and thus its analysis could benefit from the use of evolutionarily ancient and simple vertebrate model organisms, i.e., fish species. However, learning & memory research with the zebrafish has been replete with problems. Here, we employ a novel fish species, the ram cichlid, we argue will be particularly appropriate for this purpose for practical as well as ethological/ecological reasons. First, we investigate whether the ram cichlid exhibits innate preference for certain colours (red, blue, yellow or green) in a four-choice task, the plus maze. Subsequently, we pair the apparently least preferred colour (green, the conditioned stimulus or CS) with food reward (the unconditioned stimulus, US) in the plus maze, a CS-US associative learning task. After eight pairing trials, we run a probe trial during which only the CS is presented. At this trial, we find significant preference to the CS, i.e., acquisition of memory of CS-US association. We argue that our proof-of-concept study demonstrating fast acquisition of CS-US association in the ram cichlid, coupled with the universal utility of some genome editing methods, will facilitate the mechanistic analysis of learning and memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Tsang
- Cell and System Biology Department, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
| | - Veronica Venditti
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON, Canada
| | - Celina Micaela Javier
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON, Canada
| | - Robert Gerlai
- Cell and System Biology Department, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Rm CCT4004, 3359 Mississauga Road, Mississauga, ON, L5L 1C6, Canada.
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5
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Reemst K, Shahin H, Shahar OD. Learning and memory formation in zebrafish: Protein dynamics and molecular tools. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1120984. [PMID: 36968211 PMCID: PMC10034119 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1120984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2022] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Research on learning and memory formation at the level of neural networks, as well as at the molecular level, is challenging due to the immense complexity of the brain. The zebrafish as a genetically tractable model organism can overcome many of the current challenges of studying molecular mechanisms of learning and memory formation. Zebrafish have a translucent, smaller and more accessible brain than that of mammals, allowing imaging of the entire brain during behavioral manipulations. Recent years have seen an extensive increase in published brain research describing the use of zebrafish for the study of learning and memory. Nevertheless, due to the complexity of the brain comprising many neural cell types that are difficult to isolate, it has been difficult to elucidate neural networks and molecular mechanisms involved in memory formation in an unbiased manner, even in zebrafish larvae. Therefore, data regarding the identity, location, and intensity of nascent proteins during memory formation is still sparse and our understanding of the molecular networks remains limited, indicating a need for new techniques. Here, we review recent progress in establishing learning paradigms for zebrafish and the development of methods to elucidate neural and molecular networks of learning. We describe various types of learning and highlight directions for future studies, focusing on molecular mechanisms of long-term memory formation and promising state-of-the-art techniques such as cell-type-specific metabolic labeling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kitty Reemst
- Migal—Galilee Research Institute, Kiryat Shmona, Israel
- Department of Biotechnology, Tel-Hai College, Kiryat Shmona, Israel
| | - Heba Shahin
- Migal—Galilee Research Institute, Kiryat Shmona, Israel
- Department of Biotechnology, Tel-Hai College, Kiryat Shmona, Israel
| | - Or David Shahar
- Migal—Galilee Research Institute, Kiryat Shmona, Israel
- Department of Biotechnology, Tel-Hai College, Kiryat Shmona, Israel
- *Correspondence: Or David Shahar,
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6
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Sovrano VA, Vicidomini S, Potrich D, Miletto Petrazzini ME, Baratti G, Rosa-Salva O. Visual discrimination and amodal completion in zebrafish. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0264127. [PMID: 35235595 PMCID: PMC8890640 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0264127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2021] [Accepted: 02/03/2022] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
While zebrafish represent an important model for the study of the visual system, visual perception in this species is still less investigated than in other teleost fish. In this work, we validated for zebrafish two versions of a visual discrimination learning task, which is based on the motivation to reach food and companions. Using this task, we investigated zebrafish ability to discriminate between two different shape pairs (i.e., disk vs. cross and full vs. amputated disk). Once zebrafish were successfully trained to discriminate a full from an amputated disk, we also tested their ability to visually complete partially occluded objects (amodal completion). After training, animals were presented with two amputated disks. In these test stimuli, another shape was either exactly juxtaposed or only placed close to the missing sectors of the disk. Only the former stimulus should elicit amodal completion. In human observers, this stimulus causes the impression that the other shape is occluding the missing sector of the disk, which is thus perceived as a complete, although partially hidden, disk. In line with our predictions, fish reinforced on the full disk chose the stimulus eliciting amodal completion, while fish reinforced on the amputated disk chose the other stimulus. This represents the first demonstration of amodal completion perception in zebrafish. Moreover, our results also indicated that a specific shape pair (disk vs. cross) might be particularly difficult to discriminate for this species, confirming previous reports obtained with different procedures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valeria Anna Sovrano
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy
- Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science, University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy
- * E-mail: (VAS); (ORS)
| | | | - Davide Potrich
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy
| | | | - Greta Baratti
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy
| | - Orsola Rosa-Salva
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy
- * E-mail: (VAS); (ORS)
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7
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Babkiewicz E, Surga K, Gliwicz ZM, Maszczyk P. The effect of temperature on the spatial learning rate of zebrafish (
Danio rerio
). Ethology 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.13197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ewa Babkiewicz
- Department of Hydrobiology at Biology and Chemistry Research Centre Faculty of Biology University of Warsaw Warsaw Poland
| | - Krzysztof Surga
- Zebrafish Core Facility International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw Warsaw Poland
| | - Zbigniew Maciej Gliwicz
- Department of Hydrobiology at Biology and Chemistry Research Centre Faculty of Biology University of Warsaw Warsaw Poland
| | - Piotr Maszczyk
- Department of Hydrobiology at Biology and Chemistry Research Centre Faculty of Biology University of Warsaw Warsaw Poland
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8
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Bownik A, Wlodkowic D. Applications of advanced neuro-behavioral analysis strategies in aquatic ecotoxicology. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 772:145577. [PMID: 33770877 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.145577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2020] [Revised: 01/27/2021] [Accepted: 01/28/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Despite mounting evidence of pleiotropic ecological risks, the understanding of the eco-neurotoxic impact of most industrially relevant chemicals is still very limited. In particularly the acute and chronic exposures to industrial pollutants on nervous systems and thus potential alterations in ecological fitness remain profoundly understudied. Since the behavioral phenotype is the highest-level and functional manifestation of integrated neurological functions, the alterations in neuro-behavioral traits have been postulated as very sensitive and physiologically integrative endpoints to assess eco-neurotoxicological risks associated with industrial pollutants. Due to a considerable backlog of risk assessments of existing and new production chemicals there is a need for a paradigm shift from high cost, low throughput ecotoxicity test models to next generation systems amenable to higher throughput. In this review we concentrate on emerging aspects of laboratory-based neuro-behavioral phenotyping approaches that can be amenable for rapid prioritizing pipelines. We outline the importance of development and applications of innovative neuro-behavioral assays utilizing small aquatic biological indicators and demonstrate emerging concepts of high-throughput chemo-behavioral phenotyping. We also discuss new analytical approaches to effectively and rapidly evaluate the impact of pollutants on higher behavioral functions such as sensory-motor assays, decision-making and cognitive behaviors using innovative model organisms. Finally, we provide a snapshot of most recent analytical approaches that can be applied to elucidate mechanistic rationale that underlie the observed neuro-behavioral alterations upon exposure to pollutants. This review is intended to outline the emerging opportunities for innovative multidisciplinary research and highlight the existing challenges as well barriers to future development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam Bownik
- Department of Hydrobiology and Protection of Ecosystems, Faculty of Environmental Biology, University of Life Sciences, Lublin, Poland
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9
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Benvenutti R, Marcon M, Gallas-Lopes M, de Mello AJ, Herrmann AP, Piato A. Swimming in the maze: An overview of maze apparatuses and protocols to assess zebrafish behavior. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 127:761-778. [PMID: 34087275 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.05.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2020] [Revised: 04/12/2021] [Accepted: 05/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/09/2022]
Abstract
Most preclinical behavioral assays use rodents as model animals, leaving room for species-specific biases that could be avoided by an expanded cross-species approach. In this context, zebrafish emerges as an alternative model organism to study neurobiological mechanisms of anxiety, preference, learning, and memory, as well as other phenotypes with relevance to neuropsychiatric disorders. In recent years, several zebrafish studies using different types of mazes have been published. However, the protocols and apparatuses' shapes and dimensions vary widely in the literature. This variation may puzzle researchers attempting to implement maze behavioral assays and challenges the reproducibility across institutions. This review aims to provide an overview of the behavioral paradigms assessed in different types of mazes in zebrafish reported in the last couple of decades. Also, this review aims to contribute to a better characterization of multi-behavioral assessment in zebrafish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Radharani Benvenutti
- Departamento de Farmacologia, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Av. Sarmento Leite, 500/305, Porto Alegre, RS, 90050-170, Brazil; Programa de Pós-Graduação em Neurociências, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Av. Sarmento Leite, 500/209, Porto Alegre, RS, 90050-170, Brazil
| | - Matheus Marcon
- Departamento de Farmacologia, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Av. Sarmento Leite, 500/305, Porto Alegre, RS, 90050-170, Brazil; Programa de Pós-Graduação em Neurociências, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Av. Sarmento Leite, 500/209, Porto Alegre, RS, 90050-170, Brazil
| | - Matheus Gallas-Lopes
- Departamento de Farmacologia, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Av. Sarmento Leite, 500/305, Porto Alegre, RS, 90050-170, Brazil
| | - Anna Julie de Mello
- Departamento de Farmacologia, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Av. Sarmento Leite, 500/305, Porto Alegre, RS, 90050-170, Brazil
| | - Ana Paula Herrmann
- Departamento de Farmacologia, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Av. Sarmento Leite, 500/305, Porto Alegre, RS, 90050-170, Brazil; Programa de Pós-Graduação em Farmacologia e Terapêutica, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Av. Sarmento Leite, 500/305, Porto Alegre, RS, 90050-170, Brazil
| | - Angelo Piato
- Departamento de Farmacologia, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Av. Sarmento Leite, 500/305, Porto Alegre, RS, 90050-170, Brazil; Programa de Pós-Graduação em Neurociências, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Av. Sarmento Leite, 500/209, Porto Alegre, RS, 90050-170, Brazil; Programa de Pós-Graduação em Farmacologia e Terapêutica, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Av. Sarmento Leite, 500/305, Porto Alegre, RS, 90050-170, Brazil.
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10
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Buatois A, Gerlai R. Elemental and Configural Associative Learning in Spatial Tasks: Could Zebrafish be Used to Advance Our Knowledge? Front Behav Neurosci 2020; 14:570704. [PMID: 33390911 PMCID: PMC7773606 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2020.570704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2020] [Accepted: 11/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Spatial learning and memory have been studied for several decades. Analyses of these processes pose fundamental scientific questions but are also relevant from a biomedical perspective. The cellular, synaptic and molecular mechanisms underlying spatial learning have been intensively investigated, yet the behavioral mechanisms/strategies in a spatial task still pose unanswered questions. Spatial learning relies upon configural information about cues in the environment. However, each of these cues can also independently form part of an elemental association with the specific spatial position, and thus spatial tasks may be solved using elemental (single CS and US association) learning. Here, we first briefly review what we know about configural learning from studies with rodents. Subsequently, we discuss the pros and cons of employing a relatively novel laboratory organism, the zebrafish in such studies, providing some examples of methods with which both elemental and configural learning may be explored with this species. Last, we speculate about future research directions focusing on how zebrafish may advance our knowledge. We argue that zebrafish strikes a reasonable compromise between system complexity and practical simplicity and that adding this species to the studies with laboratory rodents will allow us to gain a better understanding of both the evolution of and the mechanisms underlying spatial learning. We conclude that zebrafish research will enhance the translational relevance of our findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexis Buatois
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON, Canada
| | - Robert Gerlai
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON, Canada
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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11
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Gerlai R. Evolutionary conservation, translational relevance and cognitive function: The future of zebrafish in behavioral neuroscience. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2020; 116:426-435. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.07.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2020] [Revised: 07/11/2020] [Accepted: 07/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
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12
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Gatto E, Lucon-Xiccato T, Bisazza A, Manabe K, Dadda M. The devil is in the detail: Zebrafish learn to discriminate visual stimuli only if salient. Behav Processes 2020; 179:104215. [PMID: 32763462 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2020.104215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2020] [Revised: 07/30/2020] [Accepted: 07/31/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Due to their unique characteristics, the zebrafish plays a key role in the comprehension of neurobiology of cognition and its pathologies, such as neurodegenerative diseases. More and more molecular tools for this aim are being developed, but our knowledge about the cognitive abilities of zebrafish remains extremely scarce compared to other teleost fish. We aimed to investigate the complex cognitive abilities of zebrafish using a tracking-based automated conditioning chamber that allowed precise experimental control, avoided potential cueing provided by the observer (Clever Hans phenomenon), and was shown to considerably improve learning in other teleosts. A computer presented two visual stimuli in two sectors of the chamber, and zebrafish had to enter the correct sector to obtain a food reward. Zebrafish quickly learned to use the conditioning device and easily performed up to 80 trials per day. In Experiment 1, zebrafish efficiently discriminated between two differently coloured sides, reaching a 75 % accuracy in only 10 training sessions. Surprisingly, zebrafish failed to choose the correct chamber when the stimuli were two shapes, a small circle and a small triangle, even when, in Experiment 2, training on shape discrimination was prolonged for up to 30 sessions. In Experiment 3, we tested the hypothesis that simultaneously learning to use the conditioning chamber and learning discrimination imposes a too-high cognitive load. However, zebrafish that first successfully learned how the conditioning chamber functioned (in the colour discrimination) subsequently failed in the shape discrimination. Conversely, zebrafish that firstly failed the shape discrimination subsequently learned colour discrimination. In Experiment 4, zebrafish showed some evidence of learning when the stimuli were two large shapes, suggesting that zebrafish did not discriminate between the shapes of the previous experiments because they were not salient enough. Altogether, results suggest constraints in the discrimination learning abilities of zebrafish, which should be taken into account when developing cognitive tasks for this species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elia Gatto
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
| | - Tyrone Lucon-Xiccato
- Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Angelo Bisazza
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy; Padova Neuroscience Center, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Kazuchika Manabe
- Graduate School of Social and Cultural Studies, Nihon University, Saitama, Japan; College of Bioresource Sciences, Nihon University, Fujisawa, Japan
| | - Marco Dadda
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
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13
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Facciol A, Bailleul C, Nguyen S, Chatterjee D, Gerlai R. Developmental stage-dependent deficits induced by embryonic ethanol exposure in zebrafish: A neurochemical analysis. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2020; 99:109859. [PMID: 31917146 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2020.109859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2019] [Revised: 01/02/2020] [Accepted: 01/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
FASD results from the developing fetus being exposed to alcohol, and is characterized by morphological, behavioural and cognitive deficits. However, the expression, severity and age of onset of these symptoms has been found to show variation. This variation may partly be due to the developmental stage at which alcohol reached the developing fetus. Previously, alcohol was shown to lead to significant concentration dependent behavioural as well as neurochemical changes detected in adult zebrafish when this substance was administered at 24 h post-fertilization (hpf) for 2 h. This alcohol exposure method arguably mimicked the milder, and more prevalent, forms of human FASD. However, whether the observed changes depended upon the developmental stage, i.e., the timing, of alcohol exposure has not been systematically analyzed. Here, we employ the same alcohol dosing regimen, where zebrafish eggs are immersed into 0% or 1% (vol/vol) alcohol for 2 h, but we perform the immersion at 5, 10, 16, 24, 36, or 48 hpf. We previously developed a sensitive HPLC method to quantify neurochemicals, and found levels of dopamine, serotonin and their metabolites DOPAC and 5-HIAA to be affected by embryonic alcohol treatment. Here, using the same method, we compare whole-brain levels of these neurochemicals in the embryonic alcohol exposed and control zebrafish at their age of 30 days post-fertilization (dpf). Consistent with previous reports, we found significant reduction of levels of dopamine, serotonin and their metabolites in the fish exposed to alcohol at 24 hpf. However, we also found significant dependency on the developmental stage at which alcohol was administered with particularly robust impairments when the exposure was at the early or middle of the developmental periods probed. Our results now demonstrate that one can detect functional abnormalities in the zebrafish brain induced by embryonic alcohol as early as 30 dpf and that the neurochemical deficits are dependent upon the developmental stage at which alcohol is administered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda Facciol
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Canada
| | - Celine Bailleul
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Canada
| | - Samuel Nguyen
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Canada
| | | | - Robert Gerlai
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Canada; Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Canada.
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Barela PB. Classical fear conditioning in zebrafish (Danio rerio) using an upgraded version of the goldfish conditioned withdrawal preparation. J Neurosci Methods 2020; 331:108503. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2019.108503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2019] [Revised: 11/02/2019] [Accepted: 11/03/2019] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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15
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Roy T, Suriyampola PS, Flores J, López M, Hickey C, Bhat A, Martins EP. Color preferences affect learning in zebrafish, Danio rerio. Sci Rep 2019; 9:14531. [PMID: 31601932 PMCID: PMC6787237 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-51145-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2019] [Accepted: 09/25/2019] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Animals may exhibit preference for colors that match their environment or the resources in the environment. These preferences may impact ability to learn associations with these colors and revert the associations when the reward contingency is modified. We used zebrafish Danio rerio from four populations to test if color preferences impact associative and reversal learning ability. First, we tested if preference for blue or green impact associative ability. We subjected individual fish through eight trials to associate a social stimulus with blue or green. Next, we tested if preference for red or green impact associative reversal learning ability. We trained fish in groups of three to associate a social stimulus with red or green over three trials, and reversed the reward contingency during the following session. Results showed that zebrafish preferred green over blue and domesticated fish chose green more than blue when there was a reward attached. Zebrafish also preferred red over green. Fish from one wild population learned with both colors and reversed learning only from green to red and not vice-versa. Fish from another population showed an overwhelming preference for red irrespective of what was rewarded. Domesticated fish did not show reversal learning ability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamal Roy
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, 427 E Tyler Mall, Tempe, AZ, 85287, USA.
| | - Piyumika S Suriyampola
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, 427 E Tyler Mall, Tempe, AZ, 85287, USA
| | - Jennifer Flores
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, 427 E Tyler Mall, Tempe, AZ, 85287, USA
| | - Melissa López
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, 427 E Tyler Mall, Tempe, AZ, 85287, USA
| | - Collin Hickey
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, 427 E Tyler Mall, Tempe, AZ, 85287, USA
| | - Anuradha Bhat
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata, Mohanpur, 741246, West Bengal, India
| | - Emília P Martins
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, 427 E Tyler Mall, Tempe, AZ, 85287, USA
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16
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Kenney JW, Scott IC, Josselyn SA, Frankland PW. Contextual fear conditioning in zebrafish. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2017; 24:516-523. [PMID: 28916626 PMCID: PMC5602349 DOI: 10.1101/lm.045690.117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2017] [Accepted: 05/30/2017] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Zebrafish are a genetically tractable vertebrate that hold considerable promise for elucidating the molecular basis of behavior. Although numerous recent advances have been made in the ability to precisely manipulate the zebrafish genome, much less is known about many aspects of learning and memory in adult fish. Here, we describe the development of a contextual fear conditioning paradigm using an electric shock as the aversive stimulus. We find that contextual fear conditioning is modulated by shock intensity, prevented by an established amnestic agent (MK-801), lasts at least 14 d, and exhibits extinction. Furthermore, fish of various background strains (AB, Tu, and TL) are able to acquire fear conditioning, but differ in fear extinction rates. Taken together, we find that contextual fear conditioning in zebrafish shares many similarities with the widely used contextual fear conditioning paradigm in rodents. Combined with the amenability of genetic manipulation in zebrafish, we anticipate that our paradigm will prove to be a useful complementary system in which to examine the molecular basis of vertebrate learning and memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin W Kenney
- Program in Neurosciences and Mental Health, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 1X8, Canada
| | - Ian C Scott
- Program in Development and Stem Cell Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 1X8, Canada
| | - Sheena A Josselyn
- Program in Neurosciences and Mental Health, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 1X8, Canada.,Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 1A8, Canada.,Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 1A8, Canada.,Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Paul W Frankland
- Program in Neurosciences and Mental Health, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 1X8, Canada.,Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 1A8, Canada.,Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 1A8, Canada.,Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 1A8, Canada
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17
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Gerlai R. Zebrafish and relational memory: Could a simple fish be useful for the analysis of biological mechanisms of complex vertebrate learning? Behav Processes 2017; 141:242-250. [PMID: 28143721 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2017.01.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2016] [Revised: 01/06/2017] [Accepted: 01/24/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Analysis of the zebrafish allows one to combine two distinct scientific approaches, comparative ethology and neurobehavioral genetics. Furthermore, this species arguably represents an optimal compromise between system complexity and practical simplicity. This mini-review focuses on a complex form of learning, relational learning and memory, in zebrafish. It argues that zebrafish are capable of this type of learning, and it attempts to show how this species may be useful in the analysis of the mechanisms and the evolution of this complex brain function. The review is not intended to be comprehensive. It is a short opinion piece that reflects the author's own biases, and it draws some of its examples from the work coming from his own laboratory. Nevertheless, it is written in the hope that it will persuade those who have not utilized zebrafish and who may be interested in opening their research horizon to this relatively novel but powerful vertebrate research tool.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Gerlai
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga, 3359 Mississauga Road North, Rm CCT4004 Mississauga, Ontario L5L 1C6, Canada.
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18
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Liu X, Zhang Y, Lin J, Xia Q, Guo N, Li Q. Social Preference Deficits in Juvenile Zebrafish Induced by Early Chronic Exposure to Sodium Valproate. Front Behav Neurosci 2016; 10:201. [PMID: 27812327 PMCID: PMC5071328 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2016.00201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2016] [Accepted: 10/04/2016] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Prenatal exposure to sodium valproate (VPA), a widely used anti-epileptic drug, is related to a series of dysfunctions, such as deficits in language and communication. Clinical and animal studies have indicated that the effects of VPA are related to the concentration and to the exposure window, while the neurobehavioral effects of VPA have received limited research attention. In the current study, to analyze the neurobehavioral effects of VPA, zebrafish at 24 h post-fertilization (hpf) were treated with early chronic exposure to 20 μM VPA for 7 h per day for 6 days or with early acute exposure to 100 μM VPA for 7 h. A battery of behavioral screenings was conducted at 1 month of age to investigate social preference, locomotor activity, anxiety, and behavioral response to light change. A social preference deficit was only observed in animals with chronic VPA exposure. Acute VPA exposure induced a change in the locomotor activity, while chronic VPA exposure did not affect locomotor activity. Neither exposure procedure influenced anxiety or the behavioral response to light change. These results suggested that VPA has the potential to affect some behaviors in zebrafish, such as social behavior and the locomotor activity, and that the effects were closely related to the concentration and the exposure window. Additionally, social preference seemed to be independent from other simple behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiuyun Liu
- Translational Medical Center for Development and Disease, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Birth Defect, Institute of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Fudan University Shanghai, China
| | - Yinglan Zhang
- Translational Medical Center for Development and Disease, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Birth Defect, Institute of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Fudan University Shanghai, China
| | - Jia Lin
- Translational Medical Center for Development and Disease, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Birth Defect, Institute of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Fudan University Shanghai, China
| | - Qiaoxi Xia
- Department of Life Sciences, Anhui Science and Technology University Anhui, China
| | - Ning Guo
- Center for Chinese Medical Therapy and Systems Biology, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine Shanghai, China
| | - Qiang Li
- Translational Medical Center for Development and Disease, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Birth Defect, Institute of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Fudan University Shanghai, China
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