PUBLICATION

Cognitive aging in zebrafish

Authors
Yu, L., Tucci, V., Kishi, S., and Zhdanova, I.V.
ID
ZDB-PUB-061229-21
Date
2006
Source
PLoS One   1(1): e14 (Journal)
Registered Authors
Kishi, Shuji, Tucci, Valter, Zhdanova, Irina
Keywords
Fishes, Zebrafish, Aging, Animal behavior, Cognitive impairment, Animal cognition, Biological locomotion, Conditioned response
MeSH Terms
  • Acetylcholinesterase/genetics
  • Acetylcholinesterase/metabolism
  • Aging/genetics
  • Aging/physiology*
  • Aging/psychology*
  • Aging/radiation effects
  • Animals
  • Avoidance Learning/physiology
  • Avoidance Learning/radiation effects
  • Cognition/physiology*
  • Cognition/radiation effects
  • Conditioning, Psychological/physiology
  • Conditioning, Psychological/radiation effects
  • Gamma Rays/adverse effects
  • Male
  • Maze Learning/physiology
  • Maze Learning/radiation effects
  • Models, Animal
  • Motor Activity/physiology
  • Motor Activity/radiation effects
  • Mutation
  • Reinforcement, Psychology
  • Zebrafish/genetics
  • Zebrafish/physiology*
  • Zebrafish Proteins/genetics
  • Zebrafish Proteins/metabolism
PubMed
17183640 Full text @ PLoS One
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Age-related impairments in cognitive functions represent a growing clinical and social issue. Genetic and behavioral characterization of animal models can provide critical information on the intrinsic and environmental factors that determine the deterioration or preservation of cognitive abilities throughout life. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Behavior of wild-type, mutant and gamma-irradiated zebrafish (Danio rerio) was documented using image-analysis technique. Conditioned responses to spatial, visual and temporal cues were investigated in young, middle-aged and old animals. The results demonstrate that zebrafish aging is associated with changes in cognitive responses to emotionally positive and negative experiences, reduced generalization of adaptive associations, increased stereotypic and reduced exploratory behavior and altered temporal entrainment. Genetic upregulation of cholinergic transmission attenuates cognitive decline in middle-aged achesb55/+ mutants, compared to wild-type siblings. In contrast, the genotoxic stress of gamma-irradiation accelerates the onset of cognitive impairment in young zebrafish. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: These findings would allow the use of powerful molecular biological resources accumulated in the zebrafish field to address the mechanisms of cognitive senescence, and promote the search for therapeutic strategies which may attenuate age-related cognitive decline.
Genes / Markers
Figures
Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Antibodies
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping