RESUMO
Sex is an important variable in translational biomedical research. While overt sex differences have been reported for pain and fear-like behaviors in humans and rodents, these differences in other popular model organisms, such as zebrafish, remain poorly understood. Here, we evaluate potential sex differences in zebrafish behavioral responses to pain (intraperitoneal administration of 5% acetic acid) and fear stimuli (exposure to alarm substance). Overall, both male and female zebrafish exposed to pain (acetic acid injection) show lesser distance traveled, fewer top entries and more writhing-like pain-related behavior vs. controls, whereas female fish more robustly (than males) altered some other pain-like behaviors (e.g., increasing freezing episodes and time in top) in this model. In contrast, zebrafish of both sexes responded equally strongly to fear evoked by acute alarm substance exposure. Collectively, these findings emphasize the growing importance of studying sex differences in zebrafish behavioral and pain models.
Assuntos
Medo/fisiologia , Reação de Congelamento Cataléptica/fisiologia , Dor/fisiopatologia , Caracteres Sexuais , Animais , Feminino , Masculino , Peixe-ZebraRESUMO
Sex differences influence human and animal behavioral and pharmacological responses. The zebrafish (Danio rerio) is a powerful, popular model system in neuroscience and drug screening. However, the impact of zebrafish sex differences on their behavior and drug responses remains poorly understood. Here, we evaluate baseline anxiety-like behavior in adult male and female zebrafish, and its changes following an acute 30-min exposure to 800-µM scopolamine, a common psychoactive anticholinergic drug. Overall, we report high baseline anxiety-like behavior and more individual variability in locomotion in female zebrafish, as well as distinct, sex-specific (anxiolytic-like in females and anxiogenic-like in males) effects of scopolamine. Collectively, these findings reinforce the growing importance of zebrafish models for studying how both individual and sex differences shape behavioral and pharmacological responses.
Assuntos
Ansiedade/induzido quimicamente , Antagonistas Colinérgicos/toxicidade , Escopolamina/toxicidade , Caracteres Sexuais , Animais , Comportamento Animal/efeitos dos fármacos , Feminino , Locomoção/efeitos dos fármacos , Masculino , Peixe-ZebraRESUMO
Typically triggered by stress, anxiety disorders are most common and widespread mental illnesses. The zebrafish (Danio rerio) is rapidly becoming an important aquatic model species in stress research and central nervous system (CNS) drug screening. Paracetamol is currently the most prescribed medication for pain and fever, and is among the most used drugs globally. However, its CNS effects, especially on anxiety, in both clinical and animal studies remain poorly understood. Capitalizing on zebrafish as a powerful model system, here we evaluate the effects of paracetamol on anxiety-like behavior in adult fish, and its changes following an acute stress exposure. Overall, we report an anxiolytic-like profile of acute paracetamol treatment, and its alleviation of stress-evoked anxiety, in adult short-fin wild type zebrafish. Collectively, these findings suggest complex neuroactive effects of paracetamol, and reinforce the growing importance of zebrafish models for drug screening, including the search for novel putative anti-stress therapies.
Assuntos
Acetaminofen/farmacologia , Ansiolíticos/farmacologia , Ansiedade/tratamento farmacológico , Comportamento Animal/efeitos dos fármacos , Estresse Psicológico/complicações , Animais , Ansiedade/etiologia , Modelos Animais de Doenças , Peixe-ZebraRESUMO
Melatonin is an important hormone regulating circadian rhythm, neuroprotection and neuroimmune processes. However, its exact physiological roles in brain mechanisms remain poorly understood. Here, we summarize the mounting evidence implicating melatonin in brain disorders and behavior, based on clinical and experimental studies in-vivo. In addition to rodent models, the zebrafish (Danio rerio) is becoming increasingly utilized in biomedical and neuroscience research. Here, we discuss melatonin neurobiology of zebrafish, and parallel these findings with clinical and rodent data. We also discuss the genomic effects of melatonin in zebrafish, and emphasize the growing utility of zebrafish models to study melatonin neurobiology and drug discovery.