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Pinheiro EF, Cardoso PB, Luz WL, Assad N, Santos-Silva M, Leão LKR, de Moraes SAS, Passos ADC, de Jesus Oliveira Batista E, Oliveira KRHM, Gouveia A, Herculano AM. Putative Activation of Cannabinoid Receptor Type 1 Prevents Brain Oxidative Stress and Inhibits Aggressive-Like Behavior in Zebrafish. Cannabis Cannabinoid Res 2024; 9:65-73. [PMID: 36576997 DOI: 10.1089/can.2022.0146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Aggression is a set of complex behaviors commonly described in different neurological disorders, such as schizophrenia, autistim spectrum disorder, and anxiety. Previous studies have described that some changes in the redox status of the brain are closely associated with aggressive behavior in different species. In addition, the endocannabinoid system acts as a neuromodulator of the central nervous system, however, its participation in aggressive behavior needs to be elucidated. Danio rerio (zebrafish) is an important model in the study of aggression, in this context, the present study investigated whether the activation of type 1 cannabinoid receptors (CB1r) alters the cerebral redox state and aggressive behavior in zebrafish. Materials and Methods: We performed pharmacological manipulations with the CB1r agonist (ACEA) and antagonist (AM-251) to assess the role of this receptor in aggressive behavior. Individuals were isolated in pairs, without physical contact for 24 h, treated with the drugs of interest, and after 30 minutes of pharmacokinetics, the fights were filmed for 30 min, and the individuals were identified as dominant or subordinate. Results: A consistent decrease in the strike and bite aggressive behavior was observed in the group treated with the ACEA agonist compared with that in the control and AM-251 groups. When evaluating the cerebral redox state, we observed that treatment with the ACEA agonist reduced malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and increased the levels of sulfhydryl groups compared with those in the control group. These results indicate that the activation of CB1r by the ACEA agonist inhibited aggressiveness and attenuated the levels of oxidative stress in both subjects (dominant or subordinate) in the treated group. Conclusion: Thus, we suggest that zebrafish is an alternative model to study common aggressive behavior disorders among species and that CB1r represent a potential target for the development of treatments for aggressive disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emerson Feio Pinheiro
- Laboratory of Experimental Neuropharmacology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Pará, Belém, Brazil
| | - Patrick Bruno Cardoso
- Laboratory of Experimental Neuropharmacology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Pará, Belém, Brazil
| | - Waldo Lucas Luz
- Laboratory of Experimental Neuropharmacology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Pará, Belém, Brazil
| | - Nadyme Assad
- Department of Psychobiology, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Mateus Santos-Silva
- Laboratory of Experimental Neuropharmacology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Pará, Belém, Brazil
| | - Luana Ketlen Reis Leão
- Laboratory of Experimental Neuropharmacology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Pará, Belém, Brazil
| | | | - Adelaide da Conceição Passos
- Laboratory of Experimental Neuropharmacology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Pará, Belém, Brazil
| | - Evander de Jesus Oliveira Batista
- Laboratory of Experimental Neuropharmacology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Pará, Belém, Brazil
- Laboratory of Protozoology, Tropical Medicine Center, Federal University of Pará, Belém, Brazil
| | | | - Amauri Gouveia
- Laboratory of Neuroscience and Behavior, Federal University of Pará, Belém, Brazil
| | - Anderson Manoel Herculano
- Laboratory of Experimental Neuropharmacology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Pará, Belém, Brazil
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Clein RS, Warren MR, Neunuebel JP. Automated behavioral analysis reveals that mice employ a bait-and-switch escape mechanism to de-escalate social conflict. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.01.12.575321. [PMID: 38260649 PMCID: PMC10802557 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.12.575321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
Intraspecies aggression has profound ecological and evolutionary consequences, as recipients can suffer injuries, decreases in fitness, and become outcasts from social groups. Although animals implement diverse strategies to avoid hostile confrontations, the extent to which social influences affect escape tactics is unclear. Here, we used computational and machine-learning approaches to analyze complex behavioral interactions as mixed-sex groups of mice, Mus musculus, freely interacted. Mice displayed a rich repertoire of behaviors marked by changes in behavioral state, aggressive encounters, and mixed-sex interactions. A prominent behavioral sequence consistently occurred after aggressive encounters, where males in submissive states quickly approached and transiently interacted with females immediately before the aggressor engaged with the same female. The behavioral sequences were also associated with substantially fewer physical altercations. Furthermore, the male's behavioral state and the interacting partners could be predicted by distinct features of the behavioral sequence, such as kinematics and the latency to and duration of male-female interactions. More broadly, our work revealed an ethologically relevant escape strategy influenced by the presence of females that may serve as a mechanism for de-escalating social conflict and preventing consequential reductions in fitness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel S. Clein
- University of Delaware, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Newark, DE 19713
| | - Megan R. Warren
- University of Delaware, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Newark, DE 19713
- Emory University, Department of Biology, Atlanta, GA 30322
- Center for Translational Social Neuroscience, Emory National Primate Center, Atlanta, GA 30322
| | - Joshua P. Neunuebel
- University of Delaware, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Newark, DE 19713
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3
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Clements KN, Ahn S, Park C, Heagy FK, Miller TH, Kassai M, Issa FA. Socially Mediated Shift in Neural Circuits Activation Regulated by Synergistic Neuromodulatory Signaling. eNeuro 2023; 10:ENEURO.0311-23.2023. [PMID: 37914408 PMCID: PMC10683552 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0311-23.2023] [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: 08/21/2023] [Revised: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 10/22/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Animals exhibit context-dependent behavioral decisions that are mediated by specific motor circuits. In social species these decisions are often influenced by social status. Although social status-dependent neural plasticity of motor circuits has been investigated in vertebrates, little is known of how cellular plasticity translates into differences in motor activity. Here, we used zebrafish (Danio rerio) as a model organism to examine how social dominance influences the activation of swimming and the Mauthner-mediated startle escape behaviors. We show that the status-dependent shift in behavior patterns whereby dominants increase swimming and reduce sensitivity of startle escape while subordinates reduce their swimming and increase startle sensitivity is regulated by the synergistic interactions of dopaminergic, glycinergic, and GABAergic inputs to shift the balance of activation of the underlying motor circuits. This shift is driven by socially induced differences in expression of dopaminergic receptor type 1b (Drd1b) on glycinergic neurons and dopamine (DA) reuptake transporter (DAT). Second, we show that GABAergic input onto glycinergic neurons is strengthened in subordinates compared with dominants. Complementary neurocomputational modeling of the empirical results show that drd1b functions as molecular regulator to facilitate the shift between excitatory and inhibitory pathways. The results illustrate how reconfiguration in network dynamics serves as an adaptive strategy to cope with changes in social environment and are likely conserved and applicable to other social species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katie N Clements
- Department of Biology, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27858
| | - Sungwoo Ahn
- Department of Mathematics, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27858
| | - Choongseok Park
- Department of Mathematics, North Carolina A&T State University, Greensboro, NC 27411
| | - Faith K Heagy
- Department of Biology, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27858
| | - Thomas H Miller
- Department of Biology, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27858
| | - Miki Kassai
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27858
| | - Fadi A Issa
- Department of Biology, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27858
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4
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Scott E, Brewer MS, Peralta AL, Issa FA. The Effects of Social Experience on Host Gut Microbiome in Male Zebrafish ( Danio rerio). THE BIOLOGICAL BULLETIN 2023; 244:177-189. [PMID: 38457676 DOI: 10.1086/729377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/10/2024]
Abstract
AbstractAlthough the gut and the brain vastly differ in physiological function, they have been interlinked in a variety of different neurological and behavioral disorders. The bacteria that comprise the gut microbiome communicate and influence the function of various physiological processes within the body, including nervous system function. However, the effects of social experience in the context of dominance and social stress on gut microbiome remain poorly understood. Here, we examined whether social experience impacts the host zebrafish (Danio rerio) gut microbiome. We studied how social dominance during the first 2 weeks of social interactions changed the composition of zebrafish gut microbiome by comparing gut bacterial composition, diversity, and relative abundance between socially dominant, submissive, social isolates and control group-housed communal fish. Using amplicon sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene, we report that social dominance significantly affects host gut bacterial community composition but not bacterial diversity. At the genus level, Aeromonas and unclassified Enterobacteriaceae relative abundance decreased in dominant individuals while commensal bacteria (e.g., Exiguobacterium and Cetobacterium) increased in relative abundance. Conversely, the relative abundance of Psychrobacter and Acinetobacter was increased in subordinates, isolates, and communal fish compared to dominant fish. The shift in commensal and pathogenic bacteria highlights the impact of social experience and the accompanying stress on gut microbiome, with potentially similar effects in other social organisms.
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5
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Milewski TM, Lee W, Champagne FA, Curley JP. Behavioural and physiological plasticity in social hierarchies. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2022; 377:20200443. [PMID: 35000436 PMCID: PMC8743892 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2020.0443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Individuals occupying dominant and subordinate positions in social hierarchies exhibit divergent behaviours, physiology and neural functioning. Dominant animals express higher levels of dominance behaviours such as aggression, territorial defence and mate-guarding. Dominants also signal their status via auditory, visual or chemical cues. Moreover, dominant animals typically increase reproductive behaviours and show enhanced spatial and social cognition as well as elevated arousal. These biobehavioural changes increase energetic demands that are met via shifting both energy intake and metabolism and are supported by coordinated changes in physiological systems including the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal and hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axes as well as altered gene expression and sensitivity of neural circuits that regulate these behaviours. Conversely, subordinate animals inhibit dominance and often reproductive behaviours and exhibit physiological changes adapted to socially stressful contexts. Phenotypic changes in both dominant and subordinate individuals may be beneficial in the short-term but lead to long-term challenges to health. Further, rapid changes in social ranks occur as dominant animals socially ascend or descend and are associated with dynamic modulations in the brain and periphery. In this paper, we provide a broad overview of how behavioural and phenotypic changes associated with social dominance and subordination are expressed in neural and physiological plasticity. This article is part of the theme issue 'The centennial of the pecking order: current state and future prospects for the study of dominance hierarchies'.
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Affiliation(s)
- T. M. Milewski
- Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - W. Lee
- Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - F. A. Champagne
- Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - J. P. Curley
- Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
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6
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A specialized spinal circuit for command amplification and directionality during escape behavior. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2106785118. [PMID: 34663699 PMCID: PMC8545473 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2106785118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
We are constantly faced with a choice moving to the left or right; understanding how the brain solves the selection of action direction is of tremendous interest both from biological and clinical perspectives. In vertebrates, action selection is often considered to be the realm of higher cognitive processing. However, by combining electrophysiology, serial block-face electron microscopy, and behavioral analyses in zebrafish, we have revealed a pivotal role, as well as the full functional connectome of a specialized spinal circuit relying on strong axo-axonic synaptic connections. This includes identifying a class of cholinergic V2a interneurons and establishing that they act as a segmentally repeating hub that receives and amplifies escape commands from the brain to ensure the appropriate escape directionality. In vertebrates, action selection often involves higher cognition entailing an evaluative process. However, urgent tasks, such as defensive escape, require an immediate implementation of the directionality of escape trajectory, necessitating local circuits. Here we reveal a specialized spinal circuit for the execution of escape direction in adult zebrafish. A central component of this circuit is a unique class of segmentally repeating cholinergic V2a interneurons expressing the transcription factor Chx10. These interneurons amplify brainstem-initiated escape commands and rapidly deliver the excitation via a feedforward circuit to all fast motor neurons and commissural interneurons to direct the escape maneuver. The information transfer within this circuit relies on fast and reliable axo-axonic synaptic connections, bypassing soma and dendrites. Unilateral ablation of cholinergic V2a interneurons eliminated escape command propagation. Thus, in vertebrates, local spinal circuits can implement directionality of urgent motor actions vital for survival.
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7
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Buenhombre J, Daza-Cardona EA, Sousa P, Gouveia A. Different influences of anxiety models, environmental enrichment, standard conditions and intraspecies variation (sex, personality and strain) on stress and quality of life in adult and juvenile zebrafish: A systematic review. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 131:765-791. [PMID: 34592257 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.09.047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2021] [Revised: 08/14/2021] [Accepted: 09/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Antagonist and long-lasting environmental manipulations (EM) have successfully induced or reduced the stress responses and quality of life of zebrafish. For instance, environmental enrichment (EE) generally reduces anxiety-related behaviours and improves immunity, while unpredictable chronic stress (UCS) and aquarium-related stressors generate the opposite effects. However, there is an absence of consistency in outcomes for some EM, such as acute exposure to stressors, social enrichment and some items of structural enrichment. Therefore, considering intraspecies variation (sex, personality, and strain), increasing intervention complexity while improving standardisation of protocols and contemplating the possibility that EE may act as a mild stressor on a spectrum between too much (UCS) and too little (standard conditions) stress intensity or stimulation, would reduce the inconsistencies of these outcomes. It would also help explore the mechanism behind stress resilience and to standardise EM protocols. Thus, this review critically analyses and compares knowledge existing over the last decade concerning environmental manipulations for zebrafish and the influences that sex, strain, and personality may have on behavioural, physiological, and fitness-related responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jhon Buenhombre
- ICB Biological Sciences, Federal University of Pará, Rua Augusto Correa 01, Belém, PA, Brazil.
| | | | - Pêssi Sousa
- ICB Biological Sciences, Federal University of Pará, Rua Augusto Correa 01, Belém, PA, Brazil
| | - Amauri Gouveia
- ICB Biological Sciences, Federal University of Pará, Rua Augusto Correa 01, Belém, PA, Brazil
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8
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Carver JJ, Carrell SC, Chilton MW, Brown JN, Yong L, Zhu Y, Issa FA. Nuclear androgen and progestin receptors inversely affect aggression and social dominance in male zebrafish (Danio rerio). Horm Behav 2021; 134:105012. [PMID: 34153924 PMCID: PMC8403641 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2021.105012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2021] [Revised: 05/03/2021] [Accepted: 05/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Aggression is a fundamental behavior displayed universally among animal species, but hyper- or hypo-aggressiveness can be maladaptive with negative consequences for individuals and group members. While the social and ecological significance of aggression is well understood, the specific neurobiological and hormonal mechanisms responsible for mediating aggression have not been fully elucidated. Previous studies have shown a relationship between aggressive acts and circulating gonadal steroids, but whether classical nuclear steroid receptors regulate aggression in animals is still uncertain. We examined whether the nuclear androgen receptor (Ar) and nuclear progestin receptor (Pgr) were necessary for aggressive behaviors and maintenance of a dominance relationship in male zebrafish (Danio rerio). Dyadic social interactions of Ar knockout (ArKO), Pgr knockout (PgrKO) and wildtype (WT) controls were observed for two weeks (2-weeks). ArKO zebrafish were significantly less aggressive and had a less defined dominance relationship, whereas PgrKO dominant zebrafish were significantly and persistently more aggressive with a robust dominance relationship. Our results demonstrate the importance of nuclear steroid hormone receptors in regulating aggression of adult male zebrafish and provide new models for understanding of the mechanisms of aggression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan J Carver
- Department of Biology, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27285, USA
| | - Skyler C Carrell
- Department of Biology, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27285, USA
| | - Matthew W Chilton
- Department of Biology, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27285, USA
| | - Julia N Brown
- Department of Biology, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27285, USA
| | - Lengxob Yong
- Department of Biology, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27285, USA
| | - Yong Zhu
- Department of Biology, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27285, USA.
| | - Fadi A Issa
- Department of Biology, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27285, USA.
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9
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A computational model of the shrimp-goby escape and communication system. J Comput Neurosci 2021; 49:395-405. [PMID: 33999326 DOI: 10.1007/s10827-021-00787-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2020] [Revised: 04/15/2021] [Accepted: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Fish escape from approaching threats via a stereotyped escape behavior. This behavior, and the underlying neural circuit organized around the Mauthner cell command neurons, have both been extensively investigated experimentally, mainly in two laboratory model organisms, the goldfish and the zebrafish. However, fish biodiversity is enormous, a number of variants of the basal escape behavior exist. In marine gobies (a family of small benthic fishes) which share burrows with alpheid shrimp, the escape behavior has likely been partially modified into a tactile communication system which allow the fish to communicate the approach of a predatory fish to the shrimp. In this communication system, the goby responds to intermediate-strength threats with a brief tail-flick which the shrimp senses with its antennae.We investigated the shrimp goby escape and communication system with computational models. We asked how the circuitry of the basal escape behavior could be modified to produce behavior akin to the shrimp-goby communication system. In a simple model, we found that mutual inhibitions between Mauthner cells can be tuned to produce an oscillatory response to intermediate strength inputs, albeit only in a narrow parameter range.Using a more detailed model, we found that two modifications of the fish locomotor system transform it into a model reproducing the shrimp goby behavior. These modifications are: 1. modifying the central pattern generator which drives swimming such that it is quiescent when receiving no inputs; 2. introducing a direct sensory input to this central pattern generator, bypassing the Mauthner cells.
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10
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Orr SA, Ahn S, Park C, Miller TH, Kassai M, Issa FA. Social Experience Regulates Endocannabinoids Modulation of Zebrafish Motor Behaviors. Front Behav Neurosci 2021; 15:668589. [PMID: 34045945 PMCID: PMC8144649 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2021.668589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2021] [Accepted: 04/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Social status-dependent modulation of neural circuits has been investigated extensively in vertebrate and invertebrate systems. However, the effects of social status on neuromodulatory systems that drive motor activity are poorly understood. Zebrafish form a stable social relationship that consists of socially dominant and subordinate animals. The locomotor behavior patterns differ according to their social ranks. The sensitivity of the Mauthner startle escape response in subordinates increases compared to dominants while dominants increase their swimming frequency compared to subordinates. Here, we investigated the role of the endocannabinoid system (ECS) in mediating these differences in motor activities. We show that brain gene expression of key ECS protein pathways are socially regulated. Diacylglycerol lipase (DAGL) expression significantly increased in dominants and significantly decreased in subordinates relative to controls. Moreover, brain gene expression of the cannabinoid 1 receptor (CB1R) was significantly increased in subordinates relative to controls. Secondly, increasing ECS activity with JZL184 reversed swimming activity patterns in dominant and subordinate animals. JZL184 did not affect the sensitivity of the startle escape response in dominants while it was significantly reduced in subordinates. Thirdly, blockage of CB1R function with AM-251 had no effect on dominants startle escape response sensitivity, but startle sensitivity was significantly reduced in subordinates. Additionally, AM-251 did not affect swimming activities in either social phenotypes. Fourthly, we demonstrate that the effects of ECS modulation of the startle escape circuit is mediated via the dopaminergic system specifically via the dopamine D1 receptor. Finally, our empirical results complemented with neurocomputational modeling suggest that social status influences the ECS to regulate the balance in synaptic strength between excitatory and inhibitory inputs to control the excitability of motor behaviors. Collectively, this study provides new insights of how social factors impact nervous system function to reconfigure the synergistic interactions of neuromodulatory pathways to optimize motor output.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen A Orr
- Department of Biology, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, United States
| | - Sungwoo Ahn
- Department of Mathematics, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, United States
| | - Choongseok Park
- Department of Mathematics, North Carolina A&T State University, Greensboro, NC, United States
| | - Thomas H Miller
- Department of Biology, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, United States
| | - Miki Kassai
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, United States
| | - Fadi A Issa
- Department of Biology, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, United States
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Enhancement of synaptic responses in ascending interneurones following acquisition of social dominance in crayfish. J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol 2021; 207:415-428. [PMID: 33772639 DOI: 10.1007/s00359-021-01481-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2020] [Revised: 03/14/2021] [Accepted: 03/17/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
When crayfish have attained dominant status after agonistic bouts, their avoidance reaction to mechanical stimulation of the tailfan changes from a dart to a turn response. Ascending interneurones originating in the terminal ganglion receive sensory inputs from the tailfan and they affect spike activity of both uropod and abdominal postural motor neurones, which coordinates the uropod and abdominal postural movements. Despite the varying output effects of ascending interneurones, the synaptic responses of all interneurones to sensory stimulation were enhanced when they acquired a dominant state. The number of spikes increased as did a sustained membrane depolarizations. Regardless of social status, the output effects on the uropod motor neurones of all interneurones except VE-1 remained unchanged. VE-1 mainly inhibited the uropod opener motor neurones in naive animals, but tended to excite them in dominant animals. Synaptic enhancement of the sensory response of ascending interneurones was also observed in naive animals treated with bath-applied serotonin. However, subordinate animals or naive animals treated with octopamine had no noticeable effect on the synaptic response of their ascending interneurones to sensory stimulation. Thus, enhancement of the synaptic response is a specific neural event that occurs when crayfish attain social dominance and it is mediated by serotonin.
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12
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Lieggi C, Kalueff AV, Lawrence C, Collymore C. The Influence of Behavioral, Social, and Environmental Factors on Reproducibility and Replicability in Aquatic Animal Models. ILAR J 2020; 60:270-288. [PMID: 32400880 PMCID: PMC7743897 DOI: 10.1093/ilar/ilz019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2018] [Revised: 08/08/2019] [Accepted: 09/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The publication of reproducible, replicable, and translatable data in studies utilizing animal models is a scientific, practical, and ethical necessity. This requires careful planning and execution of experiments and accurate reporting of results. Recognition that numerous developmental, environmental, and test-related factors can affect experimental outcomes is essential for a quality study design. Factors commonly considered when designing studies utilizing aquatic animal species include strain, sex, or age of the animal; water quality; temperature; and acoustic and light conditions. However, in the aquatic environment, it is equally important to consider normal species behavior, group dynamics, stocking density, and environmental complexity, including tank design and structural enrichment. Here, we will outline normal species and social behavior of 2 commonly used aquatic species: zebrafish (Danio rerio) and Xenopus (X. laevis and X. tropicalis). We also provide examples as to how these behaviors and the complexity of the tank environment can influence research results and provide general recommendations to assist with improvement of reproducibility and replicability, particularly as it pertains to behavior and environmental complexity, when utilizing these popular aquatic models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Lieggi
- Center of Comparative Medicine and Pathology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, and Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, New York
| | - Allan V Kalueff
- School of Pharmacy, Southwest University, Chongqing, China, and Ural Federal University, Ekaterinburg, Russia
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Komori T, Makinodan M, Kishimoto T. Social status and modern-type depression: A review. Brain Behav 2019; 9:e01464. [PMID: 31743626 PMCID: PMC6908884 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.1464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2019] [Revised: 10/06/2019] [Accepted: 10/13/2019] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUNDS Social hierarchy is one of the most influential social structures employed by social species. While dominants in such hierarchies can preferentially access rich resources, subordinates are forced into lower social statuses and lifestyles with inferior resources. Previous studies have indicated that the social rank regulates social behaviors and emotion in a variety of species, whereby individual organisms live within the framework of their ranks. However, in human societies, people, particularly young men, who cannot accept their own social status may show social withdrawal behaviors such as hikikomori to avoid confronting their circumstances. METHODS This article reviews the neural mechanisms underlying social status identified in animal studies with rodents and primates, and assesses how social rank affects animal's social behaviors and emotion which may be relevant to modern type depression. RESULTS Several brain regions such as medial prefrontal cortex are implicated in the formation of animal's social status, which leads to the differences in vulnerability and resilience to social stress. CONCLUSION On the basis of these findings, we propose that physical interventions such as voluntary exercise, diet, transcranial direct current stimulation, and psychotherapy, rather than psychotropic drugs, may be useful therapeutic approaches for modern type depression, which is a typical example of social status conflict and a phenotype of adjustment disorder to the traditional hierarchical social order.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takashi Komori
- Department of Psychiatry, Nara Medical University School of Medicine, Kashihara, Japan
| | - Manabu Makinodan
- Department of Psychiatry, Nara Medical University School of Medicine, Kashihara, Japan
| | - Toshifumi Kishimoto
- Department of Psychiatry, Nara Medical University School of Medicine, Kashihara, Japan
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14
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Nakajo H, Tsuboi T, Okamoto H. The behavioral paradigm to induce repeated social defeats in zebrafish. Neurosci Res 2019; 161:24-32. [PMID: 31711781 DOI: 10.1016/j.neures.2019.11.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2019] [Revised: 11/07/2019] [Accepted: 11/07/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Social subordination, which causes severe stress in animals, can affect animal's behaviors, homeostasis, and mental health. In rodents, experiences of repeated social defeats, but not a single defeat, induce a depression-like state. However, it is unclear whether such experiences similarly affect behaviors of other model animals than rodents. Here, we established a behavioral paradigm for repeated social defeats with zebrafish, an emerging model for behavioral neuroscience and pharmacological analysis. We put fish into repeated social subordination for 6 consecutive days. Using behaviors during fighting as indicators, we observed that experiencing repeated social defeats led to a reduction in fight frequency and duration. The continuously-defeated zebrafish failed to win even against the transgenic fish with an impaired winning-associated neural pathway. These results suggest that repeated social defeats led to demotivation to fight and to win against opponents. Moreover, they showed strong activity in the ventral habenula, an evolutionary homolog of the mammalian lateral habenula. However, unlike the mice model, the continuously-defeated zebrafish showed no change in anxiety level and sociability. Our established behavioral paradigm will be a new tool to investigate neural mechanisms underlying social defeats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haruna Nakajo
- Laboratory for Neural Circuit Dynamics of Decision Making, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Saitama 351-0198, Japan; Department of Life Sciences, Graduate school of arts and science, The university of Tokyo, Tokyo 153-8902, Japan
| | - Takashi Tsuboi
- Department of Life Sciences, Graduate school of arts and science, The university of Tokyo, Tokyo 153-8902, Japan
| | - Hitoshi Okamoto
- Laboratory for Neural Circuit Dynamics of Decision Making, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Saitama 351-0198, Japan; Department of Life Sciences, Graduate school of arts and science, The university of Tokyo, Tokyo 153-8902, Japan.
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15
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Marquart GD, Tabor KM, Bergeron SA, Briggman KL, Burgess HA. Prepontine non-giant neurons drive flexible escape behavior in zebrafish. PLoS Biol 2019; 17:e3000480. [PMID: 31613896 PMCID: PMC6793939 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3000480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2019] [Accepted: 09/10/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Many species execute ballistic escape reactions to avoid imminent danger. Despite fast reaction times, responses are often highly regulated, reflecting a trade-off between costly motor actions and perceived threat level. However, how sensory cues are integrated within premotor escape circuits remains poorly understood. Here, we show that in zebrafish, less precipitous threats elicit a delayed escape, characterized by flexible trajectories, which are driven by a cluster of 38 prepontine neurons that are completely separate from the fast escape pathway. Whereas neurons that initiate rapid escapes receive direct auditory input and drive motor neurons, input and output pathways for delayed escapes are indirect, facilitating integration of cross-modal sensory information. These results show that rapid decision-making in the escape system is enabled by parallel pathways for ballistic responses and flexible delayed actions and defines a neuronal substrate for hierarchical choice in the vertebrate nervous system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregory D. Marquart
- Division of Developmental Biology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
- Neuroscience and Cognitive Science Program, University of Maryland, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Kathryn M. Tabor
- Division of Developmental Biology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Sadie A. Bergeron
- Division of Developmental Biology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Kevin L. Briggman
- Circuit Dynamics and Connectivity Unit, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Harold A. Burgess
- Division of Developmental Biology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
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16
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Serpa BJ, Bullard JD, Mendiola VC, Smith CJ, Stewart B, Ganser LR. D-Amphetamine Exposure Differentially Disrupts Signaling Across Ontogeny in the Zebrafish. Bioelectricity 2019; 1:85-104. [PMID: 32292892 PMCID: PMC6595799 DOI: 10.1089/bioe.2019.0006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Prescriptive and illicit amphetamine (AMPH) use continues to increase along with the likelihood that during an individual's lifetime, the drug deleteriously influences the growth and connectivity of behavior circuits necessary for survival. Throughout ontogeny, neural circuits underlying these behaviors grow in complexity, gradually integrating many sensory inputs that trigger higher order coordinated motor responses. In the present study, we examine how AMPH disrupts the establishment of these circuits at critical neurodevelopmental periods, as well as the communication among established survival circuits. Materials and Methods: Zebrafish embryos (from 1 hpf) were raised in AMPH solutions, growth parameters and escape behavior were assessed at 24 and 48 hpf, and spinal cord tissues analyzed for differences in excitatory-inhibitory signaling balance among treatments. Adult fish were fed an acute dosage of AMPH over an 11-day conditioned place preference (PP) paradigm during which behaviors were recorded and brain tissues analyzed for alterations in dopaminergic signaling. Results: AMPH negatively affects embryonic growth and slows the execution of escape behavior, suggesting an imbalance in locomotor signaling. Although local spinal circuits provide primary escape modulation, no differences in inhibitory glycinergic, and excitatory glutamatergic signaling were measured among spinal neurons. AMPH also influenced place preference in adult zebrafish and resulted in the increased expression of dopamine signaling proteins (DRD1) in brain areas governing survival behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bradley J. Serpa
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, Georgia
| | - Jennifer D. Bullard
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, Georgia
| | - Victoria C. Mendiola
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, Georgia
| | - Crystal J. Smith
- Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina
| | - Brandon Stewart
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, Georgia
| | - Lisa R. Ganser
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, Georgia
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17
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Maruska K, Soares MC, Lima-Maximino M, Henrique de Siqueira-Silva D, Maximino C. Social plasticity in the fish brain: Neuroscientific and ethological aspects. Brain Res 2019; 1711:156-172. [PMID: 30684457 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2019.01.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2018] [Revised: 01/16/2019] [Accepted: 01/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Social plasticity, defined as the ability to adaptively change the expression of social behavior according to previous experience and to social context, is a key ecological performance trait that should be viewed as crucial for Darwinian fitness. The neural mechanisms for social plasticity are poorly understood, in part due to skewed reliance on rodent models. Fish model organisms are relevant in the field of social plasticity for at least two reasons: first, the diversity of social organization among fish species is staggering, increasing the breadth of evolutionary relevant questions that can be asked. Second, that diversity also suggests translational relevance, since it is more likely that "core" mechanisms of social plasticity are discovered by analyzing a wider variety of social arrangements than relying on a single species. We analyze examples of social plasticity across fish species with different social organizations, concluding that a "core" mechanism is the initiation of behavioral shifts through the modulation of a conserved "social decision-making network", along with other relevant brain regions, by monoamines, neuropeptides, and steroid hormones. The consolidation of these shifts may be mediated via neurogenomic adjustments and regulation of the expression of plasticity-related molecules (transcription factors, cell cycle regulators, and plasticity products).
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen Maruska
- Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, USA
| | - Marta C Soares
- Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos - CIBIO, Universidade do Porto, Vairão, Portugal
| | - Monica Lima-Maximino
- Laboratório de Biofísica e Neurofarmacologia, Universidade do Estado do Pará, Campus VIII, Marabá, Brazil; Grupo de Pesquisas em Neuropsicofarmacologia e Psicopatologia Experimental, Brazil
| | - Diógenes Henrique de Siqueira-Silva
- Laboratório de Neurociências e Comportamento "Frederico Guilherme Graeff", Universidade Federal do Sul e Sudeste do Pará, Marabá, Brazil; Grupo de Estudos em Reprodução de Peixes Amazônicos, Universidade Federal do Sul e Sudeste do Pará, Marabá, Brazil
| | - Caio Maximino
- Grupo de Pesquisas em Neuropsicofarmacologia e Psicopatologia Experimental, Brazil; Laboratório de Neurociências e Comportamento "Frederico Guilherme Graeff", Universidade Federal do Sul e Sudeste do Pará, Marabá, Brazil.
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18
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López-Schier H. Neuroplasticity in the acoustic startle reflex in larval zebrafish. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2018; 54:134-139. [PMID: 30359930 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2018.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2018] [Accepted: 10/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Learning is essential for animal survival under changing environments. Even in its simplest form, learning involves interactions between a handful of neuronal circuits, hundreds of neurons and many thousand synapses. In this review I will focus on habituation - a form of non-associative learning during which organisms decrease their response to repetitions of identical sensory stimuli. I will discuss how recent studies of the acoustic startle reflex mediated by the Mauthner cell in the zebrafish larva are helping to understand the neuroplastic processes that underlie habituation. In addition to being a fascinating biological process, habituation is clinically relevant because it is affected in various neuropsychiatric disorders in humans, including autism, schizophrenia, Fragile-X and Tourette's syndromes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hernán López-Schier
- Research Unit Sensory Biology & Organogenesis, Helmholtz Zentrum Munich, Neuherberg 85764, Germany.
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19
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Clements KN, Miller TH, Keever JM, Hall AM, Issa FA. Social Status-Related Differences in Motor Activity Between Wild-Type and Mutant Zebrafish. THE BIOLOGICAL BULLETIN 2018; 235:71-82. [PMID: 30358446 DOI: 10.1086/699514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Use of zebrafish as a model organism in biomedical research has led to the generation of many genetically modified mutant lines to investigate various aspects of developmental and cellular processes. However, the broader effects of the underlying mutations on social and motor behavior remain poorly examined. Here, we compared the dynamics of social interactions in the Tüpfel long-fin nacre mutant line, which lacks skin pigmentation, to wild-type zebrafish; and we determined whether status-dependent differences in escape and swimming behavior existed within each strain. We show that despite similarities in aggressive activity, Tüpfel long-fin nacre pairs exhibit unstable social relationships characterized by frequent reversals in social dominance compared to wild-type pairs. The lack of strong dominance relationships in Tüpfel long-fin nacre pairs correlates with weak territoriality and overlapping spatial distribution of dominants and subordinates. Conversely, wild-type dominants displayed strong territoriality that severely limited the movement of subordinates. Additionally, the sensitivity of the startle escape response was significantly higher in wild-type subordinates compared to dominants. However, status-related differences in sensitivity of escape response in Tüpfel long-fin nacre pairs were absent. Finally, we present evidence suggesting that these differences could be a consequence of a disruption of proper visual social signals. We show that in wild-type pairs dominants are more conspicuous, and that in wild-type and Tüpfel long-fin nacre pairings wild-type fish are more likely to dominate Tüpfel long-fin nacres. Our results serve as a cautionary note in research design when morphologically engineered zebrafish for color differences are utilized in the study of social behavior and central nervous system function.
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20
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Berg EM, Björnfors ER, Pallucchi I, Picton LD, El Manira A. Principles Governing Locomotion in Vertebrates: Lessons From Zebrafish. Front Neural Circuits 2018; 12:73. [PMID: 30271327 PMCID: PMC6146226 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2018.00073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2018] [Accepted: 08/27/2018] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Locomotor behaviors are critical for survival and enable animals to navigate their environment, find food and evade predators. The circuits in the brain and spinal cord that initiate and maintain such different modes of locomotion in vertebrates have been studied in numerous species for over a century. In recent decades, the zebrafish has emerged as one of the main model systems for the study of locomotion, owing to its experimental amenability, and work in zebrafish has revealed numerous new insights into locomotor circuit function. Here, we review the literature that has led to our current understanding of the neural circuits controlling swimming and escape in zebrafish. We highlight recent studies that have enriched our comprehension of key topics, such as the interactions between premotor excitatory interneurons (INs) and motoneurons (MNs), supraspinal and spinal circuits that coordinate escape maneuvers, and developmental changes in overall circuit composition. We also discuss roles for neuromodulators and sensory inputs in modifying the relative strengths of constituent circuit components to provide flexibility in zebrafish behavior, allowing the animal to accommodate changes in the environment. We aim to provide a coherent framework for understanding the circuitry in the brain and spinal cord of zebrafish that allows the animal to flexibly transition between different speeds, and modes, of locomotion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva M Berg
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institute (KI), Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | - Irene Pallucchi
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institute (KI), Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Laurence D Picton
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institute (KI), Stockholm, Sweden
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21
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Park C, Clements KN, Issa FA, Ahn S. Effects of Social Experience on the Habituation Rate of Zebrafish Startle Escape Response: Empirical and Computational Analyses. Front Neural Circuits 2018; 12:7. [PMID: 29459823 PMCID: PMC5807392 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2018.00007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2017] [Accepted: 01/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
While the effects of social experience on nervous system function have been extensively investigated in both vertebrate and invertebrate systems, our understanding of how social status differentially affects learning remains limited. In the context of habituation, a well-characterized form of non-associative learning, we investigated how the learning processes differ between socially dominant and subordinate in zebrafish (Danio rerio). We found that social status and frequency of stimulus inputs influence the habituation rate of short latency C-start escape response that is initiated by the Mauthner neuron (M-cell). Socially dominant animals exhibited higher habituation rates compared to socially subordinate animals at a moderate stimulus frequency, but low stimulus frequency eliminated this difference of habituation rates between the two social phenotypes. Moreover, habituation rates of both dominants and subordinates were higher at a moderate stimulus frequency compared to those at a low stimulus frequency. We investigated a potential mechanism underlying these status-dependent differences by constructing a simplified neurocomputational model of the M-cell escape circuit. The computational study showed that the change in total net excitability of the model M-cell was able to replicate the experimental results. At moderate stimulus frequency, the model M-cell with lower total net excitability, that mimicked a dominant-like phenotype, exhibited higher habituation rates. On the other hand, the model with higher total net excitability, that mimicked the subordinate-like phenotype, exhibited lower habituation rates. The relationship between habituation rates and characteristics (frequency and amplitude) of the repeated stimulus were also investigated. We found that habituation rates are decreasing functions of amplitude and increasing functions of frequency while these rates depend on social status (higher for dominants and lower for subordinates). Our results show that social status affects habituative learning in zebrafish, which could be mediated by a summative neuromodulatory input to the M-cell escape circuit, which enables animals to readily learn to adapt to changes in their social environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Choongseok Park
- Department of Mathematics, North Carolina A&T State University, Greensboro, NC, United States
| | - Katie N Clements
- Department of Biology, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, United States
| | - Fadi A Issa
- Department of Biology, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, United States
| | - Sungwoo Ahn
- Department of Mathematics, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, United States
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