1
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Müller TE, Dos Santos MM, Ferreira SA, Claro MT, de Macedo GT, Fontana BD, Barbosa NV. Negative impacts of social isolation on behavior and neuronal functions are recovered after short-term social reintroduction in zebrafish. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2024; 134:111038. [PMID: 38810717 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2024.111038] [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: 11/10/2023] [Revised: 05/16/2024] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/31/2024]
Abstract
Recently, social isolation measures were crucial to prevent the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. However, the lack of social interactions affected the population mental health and may have long-term consequences on behavior and brain functions. Here, we evaluated the behavioral, physiological, and molecular effects of a social isolation (SI) in adult zebrafish, and whether the animals recover such changes after their reintroduction to the social environment. Fish were submitted to 12 days of SI, and then reintroduced to social context (SR). Behavioral analyses to evaluate locomotion, anxiety-like and social-related behaviors were performed after SI protocol, and 3 and 6 days after SR. Cortisol and transcript levels from genes involved in neuronal homeostasis (c-fos, egr, bdnf), and serotonergic (5-HT) and dopaminergic (DA) neurotransmission (thp, th) were also measured. SI altered social behaviors in zebrafish such as aggression, social preference, and shoaling. Fish submitted to SI also presented changes in the transcript levels of genes related to neural activity, and 5-HT/DA signaling. Interestingly, most of the behavioral and molecular changes induced by SI were not found again 6 days after SR. Thus, we highlight that SR of zebrafish to their conspecifics played a positive role in social behaviors and in the expression of genes involved in different neuronal signaling pathways that were altered after 12 days of SI. This study brings unprecedented data on the effects of SR in the recovery from SI neurobehavioral alterations, and reinforces the role of zebrafish as a translational model for understanding the neurobiological mechanisms adjacent to SI and resocialization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Talise E Müller
- Laboratory of Toxicological Biochemistry, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Center of Natural and Exact Sciences, Federal University of Santa Maria. 1000 Roraima Avenue, Santa Maria, RS 97105-900, Brazil.; Graduate Program in Biological Sciences: Toxicological Biochemistry, Federal University of Santa Maria. 1000 Roraima Avenue, Santa Maria, RS 97105-900, Brazil..
| | - Matheus M Dos Santos
- Laboratory of Toxicological Biochemistry, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Center of Natural and Exact Sciences, Federal University of Santa Maria. 1000 Roraima Avenue, Santa Maria, RS 97105-900, Brazil.; Graduate Program in Biological Sciences: Toxicological Biochemistry, Federal University of Santa Maria. 1000 Roraima Avenue, Santa Maria, RS 97105-900, Brazil
| | - Sabrina A Ferreira
- Laboratory of Toxicological Biochemistry, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Center of Natural and Exact Sciences, Federal University of Santa Maria. 1000 Roraima Avenue, Santa Maria, RS 97105-900, Brazil.; Graduate Program in Biological Sciences: Toxicological Biochemistry, Federal University of Santa Maria. 1000 Roraima Avenue, Santa Maria, RS 97105-900, Brazil
| | - Mariana T Claro
- Laboratory of Toxicological Biochemistry, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Center of Natural and Exact Sciences, Federal University of Santa Maria. 1000 Roraima Avenue, Santa Maria, RS 97105-900, Brazil.; Graduate Program in Biological Sciences: Toxicological Biochemistry, Federal University of Santa Maria. 1000 Roraima Avenue, Santa Maria, RS 97105-900, Brazil
| | - Gabriel T de Macedo
- Laboratory of Toxicological Biochemistry, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Center of Natural and Exact Sciences, Federal University of Santa Maria. 1000 Roraima Avenue, Santa Maria, RS 97105-900, Brazil.; Graduate Program in Biological Sciences: Toxicological Biochemistry, Federal University of Santa Maria. 1000 Roraima Avenue, Santa Maria, RS 97105-900, Brazil
| | - Barbara D Fontana
- Department of Biological Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48202, USA
| | - Nilda V Barbosa
- Laboratory of Toxicological Biochemistry, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Center of Natural and Exact Sciences, Federal University of Santa Maria. 1000 Roraima Avenue, Santa Maria, RS 97105-900, Brazil.; Graduate Program in Biological Sciences: Toxicological Biochemistry, Federal University of Santa Maria. 1000 Roraima Avenue, Santa Maria, RS 97105-900, Brazil..
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2
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Yuan AE, Shou W. A rigorous and versatile statistical test for correlations between stationary time series. PLoS Biol 2024; 22:e3002758. [PMID: 39146390 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2023] [Revised: 09/13/2024] [Accepted: 07/17/2024] [Indexed: 08/17/2024] Open
Abstract
In disciplines from biology to climate science, a routine task is to compute a correlation between a pair of time series and determine whether the correlation is statistically significant (i.e., unlikely under the null hypothesis that the time series are independent). This problem is challenging because time series typically exhibit autocorrelation and thus cannot be properly analyzed with the standard iid-oriented statistical tests. Although there are well-known parametric tests for time series, these are designed for linear correlation statistics and thus not suitable for the increasingly popular nonlinear correlation statistics. There are also nonparametric tests that can be used with any correlation statistic, but for these, the conditions that guarantee correct false positive rates are either restrictive or unclear. Here, we describe the truncated time-shift (TTS) test, a nonparametric procedure to test for dependence between 2 time series. We prove that this test correctly controls the false positive rate as long as one of the time series is stationary, a minimally restrictive requirement among current tests. The TTS test is versatile because it can be used with any correlation statistic. Using synthetic data, we demonstrate that this test performs correctly even while other tests suffer high false positive rates. In simulation examples, simple guidelines for parameter choices allow high statistical power to be achieved with sufficient data. We apply the test to datasets from climatology, animal behavior, and microbiome science, verifying previously discovered dependence relationships and detecting additional relationships.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex E Yuan
- Molecular and Cellular Biology PhD program, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
- Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Wenying Shou
- Centre for Life's Origins and Evolution, Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London, United Kingdom
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3
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de Souza AJF, Romaguera ARDC, Vasconcelos JVA, Negreiros-Neto LG, de Oliveira VM, Cadena PG, Barbosa ALR, Lyra ML. Speckle statistics as a tool to distinguish collective behaviors of Zebrafish shoals. Sci Rep 2024; 14:15835. [PMID: 38982121 PMCID: PMC11233544 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-64229-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2024] [Accepted: 06/06/2024] [Indexed: 07/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Zebrafish have become an important model animal for studying the emergence of collective behavior in nature. Here, we show how to properly analyze the polarization statistics to distinguish shoal regimes. In analogy with the statistical properties of optical speckles, we show that exponential and Rayleigh distributions emerge in shoals with many fish with uncorrelated velocity directions. In the opposite limit of just two fish, the polarization distribution peaks at high polarity, with the average value being a decreasing function of the shoal's size, even in the absence of correlations. We also perform a set of experiments unveiling two shoaling regimes. Large shoals behave as small domains with strong intra-domain and weak inter-domain correlations. A strongly correlated regime develops for small shoals. The reported polarization statistical features shall guide future automated neuroscience, pharmacological, toxicological, and embryogenesis-motivated experiments aiming to explore the collective behavior of fish shoals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adauto J F de Souza
- Departamento de Física, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, Recife, PE, 52171-900, Brazil
| | | | - João V A Vasconcelos
- Departamento de Física, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, Recife, PE, 52171-900, Brazil
| | | | - Viviane M de Oliveira
- Departamento de Física, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, Recife, PE, 52171-900, Brazil
| | - Pabyton G Cadena
- Departamento de Morfologia e Fisiologia Animal, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, Recife, PE, 52171-900, Brazil
| | - Anderson L R Barbosa
- Departamento de Física, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, Recife, PE, 52171-900, Brazil
| | - Marcelo L Lyra
- Instituto de Física, Universidade Federal de Alagoas, Maceió, AL, 57072-970, Brazil.
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4
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Papaspyros V, Theraulaz G, Sire C, Mondada F. Quantifying the biomimicry gap in biohybrid robot-fish pairs. BIOINSPIRATION & BIOMIMETICS 2024; 19:046020. [PMID: 38866031 DOI: 10.1088/1748-3190/ad577a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2024] [Accepted: 06/12/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024]
Abstract
Biohybrid systems in which robotic lures interact with animals have become compelling tools for probing and identifying the mechanisms underlying collective animal behavior. One key challenge lies in the transfer of social interaction models from simulations to reality, using robotics to validate the modeling hypotheses. This challenge arises in bridging what we term the 'biomimicry gap', which is caused by imperfect robotic replicas, communication cues and physics constraints not incorporated in the simulations, that may elicit unrealistic behavioral responses in animals. In this work, we used a biomimetic lure of a rummy-nose tetra fish (Hemigrammus rhodostomus) and a neural network (NN) model for generating biomimetic social interactions. Through experiments with a biohybrid pair comprising a fish and the robotic lure, a pair of real fish, and simulations of pairs of fish, we demonstrate that our biohybrid system generates social interactions mirroring those of genuine fish pairs. Our analyses highlight that: 1) the lure and NN maintain minimal deviation in real-world interactions compared to simulations and fish-only experiments, 2) our NN controls the robot efficiently in real-time, and 3) a comprehensive validation is crucial to bridge the biomimicry gap, ensuring realistic biohybrid systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vaios Papaspyros
- Mobile Robotic Systems (MOBOTS) group, School of Computer Science, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Guy Theraulaz
- Centre de Recherches sur la Cognition Animale, Centre de Biologie Intégrative, CNRS, Université de Toulouse III-Paul Sabatier, 31062 Toulouse, France
| | - Clément Sire
- Laboratoire de Physique Théorique, CNRS, Université de Toulouse III-Paul Sabatier, 31062 Toulouse, France
| | - Francesco Mondada
- Mobile Robotic Systems (MOBOTS) group, School of Computer Science, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
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5
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Schaerf TM, Wilson ADM, Welch M, Ward AJW. Collective order and group structure of shoaling fish subject to differing risk-level treatments with a sympatric predator. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2024; 11:231511. [PMID: 39100626 PMCID: PMC11296334 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.231511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2023] [Revised: 02/09/2024] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 08/06/2024]
Abstract
It is imperative for individuals to exhibit flexible behaviour according to ecological context, such as available resources or predation threat. Manipulative studies on responses to threat often focus on behaviour in the presence of a single indicator for the potential of predation, whereas in the wild perception of threat will probably be more nuanced. Here, we examine the collective behaviour of eastern mosquitofish (Gambusia holbrooki) subject to five differing threat scenarios relating to the presence and hunger state of a jade perch (Scortum barcoo). Across threat scenarios, groups exhibit unique behavioural profiles that differ in the durations that particular collective states are maintained, the probability of transitions between states, the size and duration of persistence of spatially defined subgroups, and the patterns of collective order of these subgroups. Under the greatest level of threat, subgroups of consistent membership persist for longer durations. Group-level behaviours, and their differences, are interconnected with differences in estimates of the underlying rules of interaction thought to govern collective motion. The responses of the group are shown to be specific to the details of a potential threat, rather than a binary response to the presence or absence of some form of threat.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy M. Schaerf
- School of Science and Technology, University of New England, Armidale, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Alexander D. M. Wilson
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, DevonPL4 8AA, UK
| | - Mitchell Welch
- School of Science and Technology, University of New England, Armidale, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Ashley J. W. Ward
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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6
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Puy A, Gimeno E, Torrents J, Bartashevich P, Miguel MC, Pastor-Satorras R, Romanczuk P. Selective social interactions and speed-induced leadership in schooling fish. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2309733121. [PMID: 38662546 PMCID: PMC11067465 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2309733121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 05/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Animals moving together in groups are believed to interact among each other with effective social forces, such as attraction, repulsion, and alignment. Such forces can be inferred using "force maps," i.e., by analyzing the dependency of the acceleration of a focal individual on relevant variables. Here, we introduce a force map technique suitable for the analysis of the alignment forces experienced by individuals. After validating it using an agent-based model, we apply the force map to experimental data of schooling fish. We observe signatures of an effective alignment force with faster neighbors and an unexpected antialignment with slower neighbors. Instead of an explicit antialignment behavior, we suggest that the observed pattern is the result of a selective attention mechanism, where fish pay less attention to slower neighbors. This mechanism implies the existence of temporal leadership interactions based on relative speeds between neighbors. We present support for this hypothesis both from agent-based modeling as well as from exploring leader-follower relationships in the experimental data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreu Puy
- Departament de Física, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Barcelona08034, Spain
| | - Elisabet Gimeno
- Departament de Física, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Barcelona08034, Spain
- Departament de Física de la Matèria Condensada, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona08028, Spain
| | - Jordi Torrents
- Departament de Física, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Barcelona08034, Spain
- Departament de Física de la Matèria Condensada, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona08028, Spain
| | - Palina Bartashevich
- Institute for Theoretical Biology, Department of Biology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin10115, Germany
- Excellence Cluster Science of Intelligence, Technische Universität Berlin, Berlin10587, Germany
| | - M. Carmen Miguel
- Departament de Física de la Matèria Condensada, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona08028, Spain
- Institute of Complex Systems (UBICS), Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona08028, Spain
| | | | - Pawel Romanczuk
- Institute for Theoretical Biology, Department of Biology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin10115, Germany
- Excellence Cluster Science of Intelligence, Technische Universität Berlin, Berlin10587, Germany
- Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience, Berlin10115, Germany
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7
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Zampetaki A, Yang Y, Löwen H, Royall CP. Dynamical order and many-body correlations in zebrafish show that three is a crowd. Nat Commun 2024; 15:2591. [PMID: 38519478 PMCID: PMC10959973 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46426-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Zebrafish constitute a convenient laboratory-based biological system for studying collective behavior. It is possible to interpret a group of zebrafish as a system of interacting agents and to apply methods developed for the analysis of systems of active and even passive particles. Here, we consider the effect of group size. We focus on two- and many-body spatial correlations and dynamical order parameters to investigate the multistate behavior. For geometric reasons, the smallest group of fish which can exhibit this multistate behavior consisting of schooling, milling and swarming is three. We find that states exhibited by groups of three fish are similar to those of much larger groups, indicating that there is nothing more than a gradual change in weighting between the different states as the system size changes. Remarkably, when we consider small groups of fish sampled from a larger group, we find very little difference in the occupancy of the state with respect to isolated groups, nor is there much change in the spatial correlations between the fish. This indicates that fish interact predominantly with their nearest neighbors, perceiving the rest of the group as a fluctuating background. Therefore, the behavior of a crowd of fish is already apparent in groups of three fish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Zampetaki
- Institute for Applied Physics, TU Wien, A-1040, Wien, Austria.
- Institut für Theoretische Physik: Weiche Materie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany.
| | - Yushi Yang
- HH Wills Physics Laboratory, Tyndall Avenue, Bristol, BS8 1TL, UK.
| | - Hartmut Löwen
- Institut für Theoretische Physik: Weiche Materie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - C Patrick Royall
- Gulliver, UMR CNRS 7083, ESPCI Paris, Université PSL, 75005, Paris, France.
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8
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Rodriguez-Pinto II, Rieucau G, Handegard NO, Boswell KM, Theobald JC. Environmental impact on visual perception modulates behavioral responses of schooling fish to looming predators. J Exp Biol 2024; 227:jeb246665. [PMID: 38186295 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.246665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2024]
Abstract
Aggregation in social fishes has evolved to improve safety from predators. The individual interaction mechanisms that govern collective behavior are determined by the sensory systems that translate environmental information into behavior. In dynamic environments, shifts in conditions impede effective visual sensory perception in fish schools, and may induce changes in the collective response. Here, we consider whether environmental conditions that affect visual contrast modulate the collective response of schools to looming predators. By using a virtual environment to simulate four contrast levels, we tested whether the collective state of minnow fish schools was modified in response to a looming optical stimulus. Our results indicate that fish swam slower and were less polarized in lower contrast conditions. Additionally, schooling metrics known to be regulated by non-visual sensory systems tended to correlate better when contrast decreased. Over the course of the escape response, schools remained tightly formed and retained the capability of transferring social information. We propose that when visual perception is compromised, the interaction rules governing collective behavior are likely to be modified to prioritize ancillary sensory information crucial to maximizing chance of escape. Our results imply that multiple sensory systems can integrate to control collective behavior in environments with unreliable visual information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivan I Rodriguez-Pinto
- Institute of Environment, Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33172, USA
| | | | | | - Kevin M Boswell
- Institute of Environment, Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33172, USA
| | - Jamie C Theobald
- Institute of Environment, Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33172, USA
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9
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Xue T, Li X, Lin G, Escobedo R, Han Z, Chen X, Sire C, Theraulaz G. Tuning social interactions' strength drives collective response to light intensity in schooling fish. PLoS Comput Biol 2023; 19:e1011636. [PMID: 37976299 PMCID: PMC10691717 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1011636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2023] [Revised: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Schooling fish heavily rely on visual cues to interact with neighbors and avoid obstacles. The availability of sensory information is influenced by environmental conditions and changes in the physical environment that can alter the sensory environment of the fish, which in turn affects individual and group movements. In this study, we combine experiments and data-driven modeling to investigate the impact of varying levels of light intensity on social interactions and collective behavior in rummy-nose tetra fish. The trajectories of single fish and groups of fish swimming in a tank under different lighting conditions were analyzed to quantify their movements and spatial distribution. Interaction functions between two individuals and the fish interaction with the tank wall were reconstructed and modeled for each light condition. Our results demonstrate that light intensity strongly modulates social interactions between fish and their reactions to obstacles, which then impact collective motion patterns that emerge at the group level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tingting Xue
- School of Systems Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
- Centre de Recherches sur la Cognition Animale, Centre de Biologie Intégrative (CBI), CNRS & Université de Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France
| | - Xu Li
- School of Systems Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
- Centre de Recherches sur la Cognition Animale, Centre de Biologie Intégrative (CBI), CNRS & Université de Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France
| | - GuoZheng Lin
- School of Systems Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
- Centre de Recherches sur la Cognition Animale, Centre de Biologie Intégrative (CBI), CNRS & Université de Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France
| | - Ramón Escobedo
- Centre de Recherches sur la Cognition Animale, Centre de Biologie Intégrative (CBI), CNRS & Université de Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France
| | - Zhangang Han
- School of Systems Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaosong Chen
- School of Systems Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Clément Sire
- Laboratoire de Physique Théorique, CNRS & Université de Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France
| | - Guy Theraulaz
- Centre de Recherches sur la Cognition Animale, Centre de Biologie Intégrative (CBI), CNRS & Université de Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France
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10
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Mudaliar RK, Schaerf TM. An examination of force maps targeted at orientation interactions in moving groups. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0286810. [PMID: 37676869 PMCID: PMC10484433 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0286810] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Force mapping is an established method for inferring the underlying interaction rules thought to govern collective motion from trajectory data. Here we examine the ability of force maps to reconstruct interactions that govern individual's tendency to orient, or align, their heading within a moving group, one of the primary factors thought to drive collective motion, using data from three established general collective motion models. Specifically, our force maps extract how individuals adjust their direction of motion on average as a function of the distance to neighbours and relative alignment in heading with these neighbours, or in more detail as a function of the relative coordinates and relative headings of neighbours. We also examine the association between plots of local alignment and underlying alignment rules. We find that the simpler force maps that examined changes in heading as a function of neighbour distances and differences in heading can qualitatively reconstruct the form of orientation interactions, but also overestimate the spatial range over which these interactions apply. More complex force maps that examine heading changes as a function of the relative coordinates of neighbours (in two spatial dimensions), can also reveal underlying orientation interactions in some cases, but are relatively harder to interpret. Responses to neighbours in both the simpler and more complex force maps are affected by group-level patterns of motion. We also find a correlation between the sizes of regions of high alignment in local alignment plots and the size of the region over which alignment rules apply when only an alignment interaction rule is in action. However, when data derived from more complex models is analysed, the shapes of regions of high alignment are clearly influenced by emergent patterns of motion, and these regions of high alignment can appear even when there is no explicit direct mechanism that governs alignment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajnesh K. Mudaliar
- School of Mathematical and Computing Science, Fiji National University, Ba, Fiji
- School of Science and Technology, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, Australia
| | - Timothy M. Schaerf
- School of Science and Technology, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, Australia
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11
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Tyloo M. More is definitely different: The zebrafish as witness: Comment on "Structure and function in artificial, zebrafish and human neural networks" by Peng Ji et al. Phys Life Rev 2023; 46:71-72. [PMID: 37285666 DOI: 10.1016/j.plrev.2023.05.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Melvyn Tyloo
- Theoretical Division and Center for Nonlinear Studies (CNLS), Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, 87545, NM, USA.
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12
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Maeda T, Yamamoto S. Drone Observation for the Quantitative Study of Complex Multilevel Societies. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:1911. [PMID: 37370421 DOI: 10.3390/ani13121911] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2023] [Revised: 05/30/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) have recently been used in various behavioral ecology studies. However, their application has been limited to single groups, and most studies have not implemented individual identification. A multilevel society refers to a social structure in which small stable "core units" gather and make a larger, multiple-unit group. Here, we introduce recent applications of drone technology and individual identification to complex social structures involving multiple groups, such as multilevel societies. Drones made it possible to obtain the identification, accurate positioning, or movement of more than a hundred individuals in a multilevel social group. In addition, in multilevel social groups, drones facilitate the observation of heterogeneous spatial positioning patterns and mechanisms of behavioral propagation, which are different from those in a single-level group. Such findings may contribute to the quantitative definition and assessment of multilevel societies and enhance our understanding of mechanisms of multiple group aggregation. The application of drones to various species may resolve various questions related to multilevel societies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamao Maeda
- Wildlife Research Center, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8203, Japan
- Research Center for Integrative Evolutionary Science, The Graduate University of Advanced Science (SOKENDAI), Hayama 240-0193, Japan
| | - Shinya Yamamoto
- Institute of Advanced Study, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
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13
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Romero-Ferrero F, Heras FJH, Rance D, de Polavieja GG. A study of transfer of information in animal collectives using deep learning tools. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2023; 378:20220073. [PMID: 36802786 PMCID: PMC9939271 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2022.0073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/21/2023] Open
Abstract
We studied how the interactions among animals in a collective allow for the transfer of information. We performed laboratory experiments to study how zebrafish in a collective follow a subset of trained animals that move towards a light when it turns on because they expect food at that location. We built some deep learning tools to distinguish from video which are the trained and the naïve animals and to detect when each animal reacts to the light turning on. These tools gave us the data to build a model of interactions that we designed to have a balance between transparency and accuracy. The model finds a low-dimensional function that describes how a naïve animal weights neighbours depending on focal and neighbour variables. According to this low-dimensional function, neighbour speed plays an important role in the interactions. Specifically, a naïve animal weights more a neighbour in front than to the sides or behind, and more so the faster the neighbour is moving; and if the neighbour moves fast enough, the differences coming from the neighbour's relative position largely disappear. From the lens of decision-making, neighbour speed acts as confidence measure about where to go. This article is part of a discussion meeting issue 'Collective behaviour through time'.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Dean Rance
- Champalimaud Research, Champalimaud Foundation, 1400-038 Lisbon, Portugal
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14
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Quera V, Beltran FS, Gimeno E, Dolado R. Motion leadership and local interaction in two species of freshwater fish (Danio rerio and Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi). JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY 2023; 102:856-869. [PMID: 36647918 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.15315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The authors studied momentary motion leadership in small groups of black neon tetra (Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi) and zebrafish (Danio rerio), its relationship with local interaction parameters, such as the acceleration and turning angle of the individuals, and the relative locations of the individuals within the group. The purpose was to know whether leadership tended to be monopolised by certain individuals or whether it was equitably shared between them and if there were differences in leadership sharing between these two species, which are known to have different degrees of cohesion and polarisation. The authors filmed groups of two, three, four and eight fishes of each species and tracked their individual motion by image analysis and trajectory extraction. In both species, motion leadership was not monopolized but egalitarian and very short lived, with leadership shifts distributed randomly over time. The duration of leadership episodes decreased as group size increased and was longer in black neon tetra than in zebrafish. Momentary leaders did not tend to be in the front positions, but closer to the centre of the group. Acceleration and turning angle were more extreme in zebrafish than in black neon tetra and in the momentary leaders than the followers in both species. In general, these differences between species and between leaders/followers were qualitatively similar with some differences in detail, indicating that the relationship between motion leadership and local interaction parameters is likely to conform to a general physical law.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vicenç Quera
- Institute of Neurosciences (NeuroUB), Quantitative Psychology Unit, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Francesc S Beltran
- Institute of Neurosciences (NeuroUB), Quantitative Psychology Unit, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Elisabet Gimeno
- Institute of Neurosciences (NeuroUB), Quantitative Psychology Unit, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ruth Dolado
- Institute of Neurosciences (NeuroUB), Quantitative Psychology Unit, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
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15
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Jiang M, Zhou A, Chen R, Yang Y, Dong H, Wang W. Collective motions of fish originate from balanced local perceptual interactions and individual stochastics. Phys Rev E 2023; 107:024411. [PMID: 36932600 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.107.024411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2022] [Accepted: 01/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The movement of a group of biological individuals, such as fish schools, can evolve from disordered motions to synergistic movements or even ordered patterns. However, the physical origins behind such emergent phenomena of complex systems remain elusive. Here, we established a high-precision protocol for studying the collective behavior of biological groups in quasi-two-dimensional systems. Based on our video recording of ∼600h of fish movements, we extracted a force map of the interactions between fish from their trajectories using the convolution neural network. Presumably, this force implies the fish's perception of the surrounding individuals, the environment, and their response to social information. Interestingly, the fish in our experiments were predominantly in a seemingly disordered swarm state, but their local interactions were clearly specific. Combining such local interactions with the inherent stochasticity of the fish movements, we reproduced the collective motions of the fish through simulations. We demonstrated that a delicate balance between the specific local force and the intrinsic stochasticity is essential for ordered movements. This study presents implications for self-organized systems that use basic physical characterization to produce higher-level sophistication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingjie Jiang
- Kuang Yaming Honors School, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Anyu Zhou
- Kuang Yaming Honors School, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
- School of Physics, National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructure, and Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China
| | - Runping Chen
- Kuang Yaming Honors School, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Yuqin Yang
- Kuang Yaming Honors School, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Hao Dong
- Kuang Yaming Honors School, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
- Institute for Brain Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
- State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Wei Wang
- School of Physics, National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructure, and Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China
- Institute for Brain Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
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16
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Individual and collective behaviour of fish subject to differing risk-level treatments with a sympatric predator. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-022-03269-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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17
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Anderson C, Fernandez-Nieves A. Social interactions lead to motility-induced phase separation in fire ants. Nat Commun 2022; 13:6710. [PMID: 36344501 PMCID: PMC9640710 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-34181-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 10/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Collections of fire ants are a form of active matter, as the ants use their internal metabolism to self-propel. In the absence of aligning interactions, theory and simulations predict that active matter with spatially dependent motility can undergo motility-induced phase separation. However, so far in experiments, the motility effects that drive this process have come from either crowding or an external parameter. Though fire ants are social insects that communicate and cooperate in nontrivial ways, we show that the effect of their interactions can also be understood within the framework of motility-induced phase separation. In this context, the slowing down of ants when they approach each other results in an effective attraction that can lead to space-filling clusters and an eventual formation of dynamical heterogeneities. These results illustrate that motility-induced phase separation can provide a unifying framework to rationalize the behavior of a wide variety of active matter systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caleb Anderson
- grid.5841.80000 0004 1937 0247Department of Condensed Matter Physics, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain ,grid.213917.f0000 0001 2097 4943School of Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332 USA
| | - Alberto Fernandez-Nieves
- grid.5841.80000 0004 1937 0247Department of Condensed Matter Physics, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain ,grid.213917.f0000 0001 2097 4943School of Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332 USA ,grid.425902.80000 0000 9601 989XICREA-Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats, 08010 Barcelona, Spain ,grid.5841.80000 0004 1937 0247Institute for Complex Systems (UBICS), University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
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18
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Patch A, Paz A, Holt KJ, Duboué ER, Keene AC, Kowalko JE, Fily Y. Kinematic analysis of social interactions deconstructs the evolved loss of schooling behavior in cavefish. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0265894. [PMID: 35385509 PMCID: PMC8985933 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0265894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2021] [Accepted: 03/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Fish display a remarkable diversity of social behaviors, both within and between species. While social behaviors are likely critical for survival, surprisingly little is known about how they evolve in response to changing environmental pressures. With its highly social surface form and multiple populations of a largely asocial, blind, cave-dwelling form, the Mexican tetra, Astyanax mexicanus, provides a powerful model to study the evolution of social behavior. Here we use motion tracking and analysis of swimming kinematics to quantify social swimming in four Astyanax mexicanus populations. In the light, surface fish school, maintaining both close proximity and alignment with each other. In the dark, surface fish no longer form coherent schools, however, they still show evidence of an attempt to align and maintain proximity when they find themselves near another fish. In contrast, cavefish from three independently-evolved populations (Pachón, Molino, Tinaja) show little preference for proximity or alignment, instead exhibiting behaviors that suggest active avoidance of each other. Two of the three cave populations we studied also slow down when more fish are present in the tank, a behavior which is not observed in surface fish in light or the dark, suggesting divergent responses to conspecifics. Using data-driven computer simulations, we show that the observed reduction in swimming speed is sufficient to alter the way fish explore their environment: it can increase time spent exploring away from the walls. Thus, the absence of schooling in cavefish is not merely a consequence of their inability to see, but may rather be a genuine behavioral adaptation that impacts the way they explore their environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam Patch
- Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter, FL, United States of America
| | - Alexandra Paz
- Jupiter Life Science Initiative, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter, FL, United States of America
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter, FL, United States of America
| | - Karla J. Holt
- Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter, FL, United States of America
| | - Erik R. Duboué
- Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter, FL, United States of America
- Jupiter Life Science Initiative, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter, FL, United States of America
| | - Alex C. Keene
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States of America
| | - Johanna E. Kowalko
- Department of Biological Sciences, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA, United States of America
| | - Yaouen Fily
- Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter, FL, United States of America
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19
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Systematic Analysis of Emergent Collective Motion Produced by a 3D Hybrid Zonal Model. Bull Math Biol 2021; 84:16. [PMID: 34921628 DOI: 10.1007/s11538-021-00977-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2021] [Accepted: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Emergent patterns of collective motion are thought to arise from local rules of interaction that govern how individuals adjust their velocity in response to the relative locations and velocities of near neighbours. Many models of collective motion apply rules of interaction over a metric scale, based on the distances to neighbouring group members. However, empirical work suggests that some species apply interactions over a topological scale, based on distance determined neighbour rank. Here, we modify an important metric model of collective motion (Couzin et al. in J Theor Biol 218(1):1-11, 2002), so that interactions relating to orienting movements with neighbours and attraction towards more distant neighbours operate over topological scales. We examine the emergent group movement patterns generated by the model as the numbers of neighbours that contribute to orientation- and attraction-based velocity adjustments vary. Like the metric form of the model, simulated groups can fragment (when interactions are influenced by less than 10-15% of the group), swarm and move in parallel, but milling does not occur. The model also generates other cohesive group movements including cases where groups exhibit directed motion without strong overall alignment of individuals. Multiple emergent states are possible for the same set of underlying model parameters in some cases, suggesting sensitivity to initial conditions, and there is evidence that emergent states of the system depend on the history of the system. Groups that do not fragment tend to stay relatively compact in terms of neighbour distances. Even if a group does fragment, individuals remain relatively close to near neighbours, avoiding complete isolation.
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20
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Modeling zebrafish geotaxis as a feedback control process. PROCEEDINGS OF THE ... AMERICAN CONTROL CONFERENCE. AMERICAN CONTROL CONFERENCE 2021; 2021:660-665. [PMID: 34671173 DOI: 10.23919/acc50511.2021.9483149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Developing mathematical models of the feedback control process underlying animal behavior is of critical importance to understand their interactions with the environment and emotional responses. For instance, fish geotaxis (the tendency to swim at the bottom of the tank) is known to be a highly sensitive measure of anxiety, but how and why animals tend to display such a complex response is yet to be fully clarified. Leveraging the theory of stochastic differential equations, we develop a data-driven model of geotaxis in the form of a feedback control loop where fish use information about the hydrostatic pressure to dive towards the bottom of the tank. The proposed framework extends open-loop models by incorporating a simple, yet effective, control mechanism to explain geotaxis. We focus on the zebrafish animal model, which is a species of choice in the study of anxiety disorders. We calibrate the model using available experimental data on acute ethanol treatment of adult zebrafish, and demonstrate its effectiveness across a wide range of comparisons between theoretical predictions and empirical observations.
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21
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Tuqan M, Porfiri M. Mathematical modeling of zebrafish social behavior in response to acute caffeine administration. FRONTIERS IN APPLIED MATHEMATICS AND STATISTICS 2021; 7:751351. [PMID: 35493317 PMCID: PMC9053518 DOI: 10.3389/fams.2021.751351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Zebrafish is a model organism that is receiving considerable attention in preclinical research. Particularly important is the use of zebrafish in behavioral pharmacology, where a number of high-throughput experimental paradigms have been proposed to quantify the effect of psychoactive substances consequences on individual and social behavior. In an effort to assist experimental research and improve animal welfare, we propose a mathematical model for the social behavior of groups of zebrafish swimming in a shallow water tank in response to the administration of psychoactive compounds to select individuals. We specialize the mathematical model to caffeine, a popular anxiogenic compound. Each fish is assigned to a Markov chain that describes transitions between freezing and swimming. When swimming, zebrafish locomotion is modeled as a pair of coupled stochastic differential equations, describing the time evolution of the turn-rate and speed in response to caffeine administration. Comparison with experimental results demonstrates the accuracy of the model and its potential use in the design of in-silico experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Tuqan
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, New York University, Tandon School of Engineering, New York, USA
| | - Maurizio Porfiri
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, New York University, Tandon School of Engineering, New York, USA
- Center for Urban Science + Progress, New York University, New York, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, New York University, Tandon School of Engineering, New York, USA
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22
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Schaerf TM, Herbert-Read JE, Ward AJW. A statistical method for identifying different rules of interaction between individuals in moving animal groups. J R Soc Interface 2021; 18:20200925. [PMID: 33784885 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2020.0925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The emergent patterns of collective motion are thought to arise from application of individual-level rules that govern how individuals adjust their velocity as a function of the relative position and behaviours of their neighbours. Empirical studies have sought to determine such rules of interaction applied by 'average' individuals by aggregating data from multiple individuals across multiple trajectory sets. In reality, some individuals within a group may interact differently from others, and such individual differences can have an effect on overall group movement. However, comparisons of rules of interaction used by individuals in different contexts have been largely qualitative. Here we introduce a set of randomization methods designed to determine statistical differences in the rules of interaction between individuals. We apply these methods to a case study of leaders and followers in pairs of freely exploring eastern mosquitofish (Gambusia holbrooki). We find that each of the randomization methods is reliable in terms of: repeatability of p-values, consistency in identification of significant differences and similarity between distributions of randomization-based test statistics. We observe convergence of the distributions of randomization-based test statistics across repeat calculations, and resolution of any ambiguities regarding significant differences as the number of randomization iterations increases.
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Affiliation(s)
- T M Schaerf
- School of Science and Technology, University of New England, Armidale, New South Wales 2351, Australia
| | - J E Herbert-Read
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK.,Aquatic Ecology, University of Lund, Lund 223 62, Sweden
| | - A J W Ward
- Animal Behaviour Lab, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2006, Australia
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23
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DeLellis P, Cadolini E, Croce A, Yang Y, di Bernardo M, Porfiri M. Model-based feedback control of live zebrafish behavior via interaction with a robotic replica. IEEE T ROBOT 2021; 36:28-41. [PMID: 33746643 DOI: 10.1109/tro.2019.2943066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
The possibility of regulating the behavior of live animals using biologically-inspired robots has attracted the interest of biologists and engineers for over twenty-five years. From early work on insects to recent endeavors on mammals, we have witnessed fascinating applications that have pushed forward our understanding of animal behavior along new directions. Despite significant progress, most of the research has focused on open-loop control systems, in which robots execute predetermined actions, independent of the animal behavior. We integrate mathematical modeling of social behavior toward the design of realistic feedback laws for robots to interact with a live animal. In particular, we leverage recent advancements in data-driven modeling of zebrafish behavior. Ultimately, we establish a novel robotic platform that allows real-time actuation of a biologically-inspired 3D-printed zebrafish replica to implement model-based control of animal behavior. We demonstrate our approach through a series of experiments, designed to elucidate the appraisal of the replica by live subjects with respect to conspecifics and to quantify the biological value of closed-loop control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pietro DeLellis
- Department of Electrical Electrical Engineering and Information Technology, University of Naples Federico II. Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, New York University Tandon School of Engineering
| | - Edoardo Cadolini
- Department of Electrical Electrical Engineering and Information Technology, University of Naples Federico II. Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, New York University Tandon School of Engineering
| | - Arrigo Croce
- Department of Electrical Electrical Engineering and Information Technology, University of Naples Federico II. Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, New York University Tandon School of Engineering
| | - Yanpeng Yang
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, New York University Tandon School of Engineering. Key Laboratory of Mechanism Theory and Equipment Design of Ministry of Education, School of Mechanical Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
| | - Mario di Bernardo
- Department of Electrical Electrical Engineering and Information Technology, University of Naples Federico II. Department of Engineering Mathematics of the University of Bristol, U.K
| | - Maurizio Porfiri
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, New York University Tandon School of Engineering. Department of Biomedical Engineering, New York University Tandon School of Engineering
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24
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Fontana BD, Müller TE, Cleal M, de Abreu MS, Norton WHJ, Demin KA, Amstislavskaya TG, Petersen EV, Kalueff AV, Parker MO, Rosemberg DB. Using zebrafish (Danio rerio) models to understand the critical role of social interactions in mental health and wellbeing. Prog Neurobiol 2021; 208:101993. [PMID: 33440208 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2021.101993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2020] [Revised: 11/24/2020] [Accepted: 01/05/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Social behavior represents a beneficial interaction between conspecifics that is critical for maintaining health and wellbeing. Dysfunctional or poor social interaction are associated with increased risk of physical (e.g., vascular) and psychiatric disorders (e.g., anxiety, depression, and substance abuse). Although the impact of negative and positive social interactions is well-studied, their underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. Zebrafish have well-characterized social behavior phenotypes, high genetic homology with humans, relative experimental simplicity and the potential for high-throughput screens. Here, we discuss the use of zebrafish as a candidate model organism for studying the fundamental mechanisms underlying social interactions, as well as potential impacts of social isolation on human health and wellbeing. Overall, the growing utility of zebrafish models may improve our understanding of how the presence and absence of social interactions can differentially modulate various molecular and physiological biomarkers, as well as a wide range of other behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara D Fontana
- Brain and Behaviour Laboratory, School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Portsmouth, UK.
| | - Talise E Müller
- Graduate Program in Biological Sciences: Toxicological Biochemistry, Natural and Exact Sciences Center, Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil; Laboratory of Experimental Neuropscychobiology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Natural and Exact Sciences Center, Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil
| | - Madeleine Cleal
- Brain and Behaviour Laboratory, School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Portsmouth, UK
| | - Murilo S de Abreu
- Bioscience Institute, University of Passo Fundo, Passo Fundo, Brazil
| | - William H J Norton
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychology and Behaviour, College of Medicine, Biological Sciences and Psychology, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK; The International Zebrafish Neuroscience Research Consortium (ZNRC), Slidell, LA, USA
| | - Konstantin A Demin
- Institute of Experimental Medicine, Almazov National Medical Research Center, St. Petersburg, Russia; Institute of Translational Biomedicine, St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Russia; Scientific Research Center of Radiology and Surgical Technologies, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | | | - Elena V Petersen
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Neuroscience and Bioscreening, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Moscow, Russia
| | - Allan V Kalueff
- School of Pharmacy, Southwest University, Beibei, Chongqing, China; Ural Federal University, Ekaterinburg, Russia
| | - Matthew O Parker
- Brain and Behaviour Laboratory, School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Portsmouth, UK; The International Zebrafish Neuroscience Research Consortium (ZNRC), Slidell, LA, USA
| | - Denis B Rosemberg
- Graduate Program in Biological Sciences: Toxicological Biochemistry, Natural and Exact Sciences Center, Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil; Laboratory of Experimental Neuropscychobiology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Natural and Exact Sciences Center, Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil; The International Zebrafish Neuroscience Research Consortium (ZNRC), Slidell, LA, USA.
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25
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McKee A, Soto AP, Chen P, McHenry MJ. The sensory basis of schooling by intermittent swimming in the rummy-nose tetra ( Hemigrammus rhodostomus). Proc Biol Sci 2020; 287:20200568. [PMID: 33109007 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2020.0568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Schooling is a collective behaviour that enhances the ability of a fish to sense and respond to its environment. Although schooling is essential to the biology of a diversity of fishes, it is generally unclear how this behaviour is coordinated by different sensory modalities. We used experimental manipulation and kinematic measurements to test the role of vision and flow sensing in the rummy-nose tetra (Hemigrammus rhodostomus), which swims with intermittent phases of bursts and coasts. Groups of five fish required a minimum level of illuminance (greater than 1.5 lx) to achieve the necessary close nearest-neighbour distance and high polarization for schooling. Compromising the lateral line system with an antibiotic treatment caused tetras to swim with greater nearest-neighbour distance and lower polarization. Therefore, vision is both necessary and sufficient for schooling in H. rhodostomus, and both sensory modalities aid in attraction. These results can serve as a basis for understanding the individual roles of sensory modalities in schooling for some fish species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amberle McKee
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Irvine, 321 Steinhaus Hall, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Alberto P Soto
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Irvine, 321 Steinhaus Hall, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Phoebe Chen
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Irvine, 321 Steinhaus Hall, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Matthew J McHenry
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Irvine, 321 Steinhaus Hall, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
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26
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Escobedo R, Lecheval V, Papaspyros V, Bonnet F, Mondada F, Sire C, Theraulaz G. A data-driven method for reconstructing and modelling social interactions in moving animal groups. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2020; 375:20190380. [PMID: 32713309 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2019.0380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Group-living organisms that collectively migrate range from cells and bacteria to human crowds, and include swarms of insects, schools of fish, and flocks of birds or ungulates. Unveiling the behavioural and cognitive mechanisms by which these groups coordinate their movements is a challenging task. These mechanisms take place at the individual scale and can be described as a combination of interactions between individuals and interactions between these individuals and the physical obstacles in the environment. Thanks to the development of novel tracking techniques that provide large and accurate datasets, the main characteristics of individual and collective behavioural patterns can be quantified with an unprecedented level of precision. However, in a large number of studies, social interactions are usually described by force map methods that only have a limited capacity of explanation and prediction, being rarely suitable for a direct implementation in a concise and explicit mathematical model. Here, we present a general method to extract the interactions between individuals that are involved in the coordination of collective movements in groups of organisms. We then apply this method to characterize social interactions in two species of shoaling fish, the rummy-nose tetra (Hemigrammus rhodostomus) and the zebrafish (Danio rerio), which both present a burst-and-coast motion. From the detailed quantitative description of individual-level interactions, it is thus possible to develop a quantitative model of the emergent dynamics observed at the group level, whose predictions can be checked against experimental results. This method can be applied to a wide range of biological and social systems. This article is part of the theme issue 'Multi-scale analysis and modelling of collective migration in biological systems'.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Escobedo
- Centre de Recherches sur la Cognition Animale, Centre de Biologie Intégrative (CBI), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) & Université de Toulouse - Paul Sabatier, 31062 Toulouse, France
| | - V Lecheval
- Department of Biology, University of York, York YO10 5DD, UK
| | - V Papaspyros
- MOBOTS group, Biorobotics laboratory, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - F Bonnet
- MOBOTS group, Biorobotics laboratory, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - F Mondada
- MOBOTS group, Biorobotics laboratory, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - C Sire
- Laboratoire de Physique Théorique, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) & Université de Toulouse - Paul Sabatier, 31062 Toulouse, France
| | - G Theraulaz
- Centre de Recherches sur la Cognition Animale, Centre de Biologie Intégrative (CBI), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) & Université de Toulouse - Paul Sabatier, 31062 Toulouse, France.,Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, India
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27
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Rodriguez-Pinto II, Rieucau G, Handegard NO, Boswell KM. Environmental context elicits behavioural modification of collective state in schooling fish. Anim Behav 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2020.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
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28
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Tang W, Davidson JD, Zhang G, Conen KE, Fang J, Serluca F, Li J, Xiong X, Coble M, Tsai T, Molind G, Fawcett CH, Sanchez E, Zhu P, Couzin ID, Fishman MC. Genetic Control of Collective Behavior in Zebrafish. iScience 2020; 23:100942. [PMID: 32179471 PMCID: PMC7068127 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2020.100942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2019] [Revised: 01/17/2020] [Accepted: 02/21/2020] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Many animals, including humans, have evolved to live and move in groups. In humans, disrupted social interactions are a fundamental feature of many psychiatric disorders. However, we know little about how genes regulate social behavior. Zebrafish may serve as a powerful model to explore this question. By comparing the behavior of wild-type fish with 90 mutant lines, we show that mutations of genes associated with human psychiatric disorders can alter the collective behavior of adult zebrafish. We identify three categories of behavioral variation across mutants: "scattered," in which fish show reduced cohesion; "coordinated," in which fish swim more in aligned schools; and "huddled," in which fish form dense but disordered groups. Changes in individual interaction rules can explain these differences. This work demonstrates how emergent patterns in animal groups can be altered by genetic changes in individuals and establishes a framework for understanding the fundamentals of social information processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenlong Tang
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, 181 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Jacob D Davidson
- Department of Collective Behavior, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Universitätstraße 10, 78764 Konstanz, Germany; Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behavior, University of Konstanz, Universitätstraße 10, 78764 Konstanz, Germany; Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Universitätstraße 10, 78764 Konstanz, Germany
| | - Guoqiang Zhang
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, 181 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Katherine E Conen
- Department of Collective Behavior, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Universitätstraße 10, 78764 Konstanz, Germany; Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behavior, University of Konstanz, Universitätstraße 10, 78764 Konstanz, Germany; Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Universitätstraße 10, 78764 Konstanz, Germany
| | - Jian Fang
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, 181 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Fabrizio Serluca
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, 181 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Jingyao Li
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, 181 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Xiaorui Xiong
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, 181 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Matthew Coble
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, 181 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Tingwei Tsai
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, 181 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Gregory Molind
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, 181 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Caroline H Fawcett
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, 181 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Ellen Sanchez
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, 181 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Peixin Zhu
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, 181 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Iain D Couzin
- Department of Collective Behavior, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Universitätstraße 10, 78764 Konstanz, Germany; Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behavior, University of Konstanz, Universitätstraße 10, 78764 Konstanz, Germany; Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Universitätstraße 10, 78764 Konstanz, Germany.
| | - Mark C Fishman
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, 7 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.
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29
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Burbano-L DA, Porfiri M. Data-driven modeling of zebrafish behavioral response to acute caffeine administration. J Theor Biol 2019; 485:110054. [PMID: 31634449 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtbi.2019.110054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2019] [Revised: 10/14/2019] [Accepted: 10/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Over the last thirty years, we have witnessed a dramatic rise in the use of zebrafish in preclinical research. Every year, more than 5000 technical papers are published about zebrafish, many of them seeking to explain the underpinnings of anxiety through animal testing. In-silico experiments could significantly contribute to zebrafish research and welfare, by offering new means to support the 3Rs principles of replacement, reduction, and refinement. Here, we propose a data-driven modeling framework to predict the anxiety-related behavioral response of zebrafish to acute caffeine administration. The modeling framework unfolds along a two-time-scale dichotomy to capture freezing behavior along a slow temporal scale and burst-and-coast locomotion at a fast time-scale. Anchored in the theory of Markov chains and stochastic differential equations, we demonstrate a parsimonious, yet robust, modeling framework to accurately simulate experimental observations of zebrafish treated at different caffeine concentrations. Our results complement recent modeling efforts, laying the foundations for conducting in-silico experiments in zebrafish behavioral pharmacology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel A Burbano-L
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Tandon School of Engineering, New York University, New York, USA
| | - Maurizio Porfiri
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Tandon School of Engineering, New York University, New York, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering and Department of Civil and Urban Engineering, Tandon School of Engineering, New York University, New York, USA.
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30
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Yang Y, Clément RJG, Ghirlanda S, Porfiri M. A Comparison of Individual Learning and Social Learning in Zebrafish Through an Ethorobotics Approach. Front Robot AI 2019; 6:71. [PMID: 33501086 PMCID: PMC7805697 DOI: 10.3389/frobt.2019.00071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2019] [Accepted: 07/19/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Social learning is ubiquitous across the animal kingdom, where animals learn from group members about predators, foraging strategies, and so on. Despite its prevalence and adaptive benefits, our understanding of social learning is far from complete. Here, we study observational learning in zebrafish, a popular animal model in neuroscience. Toward fine control of experimental variables and high consistency across trials, we developed a novel robotics-based experimental test paradigm, in which a robotic replica demonstrated to live subjects the correct door to join a group of conspecifics. We performed two experimental conditions. In the individual training condition, subjects learned the correct door without the replica. In the social training condition, subjects observed the replica approaching both the incorrect door, to no effect, and the correct door, which would open after spending enough time close to it. During these observations, subjects could not actively follow the replica. Zebrafish increased their preference for the correct door over the course of 20 training sessions, but we failed to identify evidence of social learning, whereby we did not register significant differences in performance between the individual and social training conditions. These results suggest that zebrafish may not be able to learn a route by observation, although more research comparing robots to live demonstrators is needed to substantiate this claim.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanpeng Yang
- Key Laboratory of Mechanism Theory and Equipment Design of Ministry of Education, School of Mechanical Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, New York University, Tandon School of Engineering, Brooklyn, NY, United States
| | - Romain J. G. Clément
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, New York University, Tandon School of Engineering, Brooklyn, NY, United States
| | - Stefano Ghirlanda
- Department of Psychology, Brooklyn College, Brooklyn, NY, United States
- Departments of Psychology and Biology, The Graduate Center of the City University of New York (CUNY), New York, NY, United States
- Centre for the Study of Cultural Evolution, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Maurizio Porfiri
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, New York University, Tandon School of Engineering, Brooklyn, NY, United States
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, New York University, Tandon School of Engineering, Brooklyn, NY, United States
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31
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Geng Y, Peterson RT. The zebrafish subcortical social brain as a model for studying social behavior disorders. Dis Model Mech 2019; 12:dmm039446. [PMID: 31413047 PMCID: PMC6737945 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.039446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Social behaviors are essential for the survival and reproduction of social species. Many, if not most, neuropsychiatric disorders in humans are either associated with underlying social deficits or are accompanied by social dysfunctions. Traditionally, rodent models have been used to model these behavioral impairments. However, rodent assays are often difficult to scale up and adapt to high-throughput formats, which severely limits their use for systems-level science. In recent years, an increasing number of studies have used zebrafish (Danio rerio) as a model system to study social behavior. These studies have demonstrated clear potential in overcoming some of the limitations of rodent models. In this Review, we explore the evolutionary conservation of a subcortical social brain between teleosts and mammals as the biological basis for using zebrafish to model human social behavior disorders, while summarizing relevant experimental tools and assays. We then discuss the recent advances gleaned from zebrafish social behavior assays, the applications of these assays to studying related disorders, and the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yijie Geng
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, University of Utah, 30 S. 2000 East, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Randall T Peterson
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, University of Utah, 30 S. 2000 East, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
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