PUBLICATION

Dose dependent behavioral effects of acute alcohol administration in zebrafish fry

Authors
Tsang, B., Ansari, R., Gerlai, R.
ID
ZDB-PUB-190227-23
Date
2019
Source
Pharmacology, biochemistry, and behavior   179: 124-133 (Journal)
Registered Authors
Gerlai, Robert T.
Keywords
Acute alcohol administration, Alcohol, Biphasic dose response, Ethanol, Sedative effects, Stimulant effects, Zebrafish behavior
MeSH Terms
  • Animals
  • Behavior, Animal/drug effects*
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Ethanol/administration & dosage*
  • Ethanol/toxicity
  • Larva/drug effects*
  • Zebrafish/growth & development*
PubMed
30807782 Full text @ Pharmacol. Biochem. Behav.
Abstract
The zebrafish is becoming increasingly utilized in behavioral neuroscience as it appears to strike a good compromise between practical simplicity and system complexity. Particularly in alcohol (ethanol) research, the zebrafish has been employed as a translationally relevant model organism. However, the majority of studies investigating the effects of alcohol on brain function and behavior has used adult zebrafish. In the current study, we utilize 6-8 post-fertilization day old larval zebrafish (fry) to investigate the effects of a 40 min-long, acute, immersion into the alcohol bath. We measure the behavioral responses of the fry during the immersion session in relatively large arenas, the petri dish, instead of the often employed 96 well plate, and report on significant modification of behavior induced by alcohol. For example, we found the intermediate dose of alcohol (0.5%, vol/vol) to exert a stimulant effect manifesting as slight elevation of swim speed, robust increase of turning, temporal variability of swim speed and turning, and diminished frequency of staying immobile. We also found the high dose of 1% alcohol to elicit an opposite response, a sedative effect. This biphasic dose response of alcohol mimics what has been found in mammals, including humans, and thus we conclude that a few day-old zebrafish fry may be a cost effective and efficient tool with which one can screen for small molecules or mutations with alcohol-effect modifying properties.
Genes / Markers
Figures
Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Antibodies
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping