PUBLICATION
Neural correlates of state transitions elicited by a chemosensory danger cue
- Authors
- Jesuthasan, S., Krishnan, S., Cheng, R.K., Mathuru, A.
- ID
- ZDB-PUB-201002-102
- Date
- 2020
- Source
- Progress in neuro-psychopharmacology & biological psychiatry 111: 110110 (Journal)
- Registered Authors
- Jesuthasan, Suresh, Mathuru, Ajay
- Keywords
- Behavior change, Larval Zebrafish, Predator avoidance, Stress response pathways, Two-photon calcium imaging
- MeSH Terms
-
- Animals
- Avoidance Learning*
- Chemoreceptor Cells
- Cues*
- Habenula/metabolism
- Larva/metabolism*
- Microscopy, Electron
- Olfactory Receptor Neurons/metabolism*
- Pheromones*
- Raphe Nuclei/metabolism
- Telencephalon/metabolism
- Zebrafish/metabolism*
- PubMed
- 32950538 Full text @ Prog. Neuropsychopharmacol. Biol. Psychiatry
Citation
Jesuthasan, S., Krishnan, S., Cheng, R.K., Mathuru, A. (2020) Neural correlates of state transitions elicited by a chemosensory danger cue. Progress in neuro-psychopharmacology & biological psychiatry. 111:110110.
Abstract
Background Detection of predator cues changes the brain state in prey species and helps them avoid danger. Dysfunctionality in changing the central state appropriately in stressful situations is proposed to be an underlying cause of multiple psychiatric disorders in humans.
Methods Here, we investigate the dynamics of neural circuits mediating response to a threat, to characterize these states and to identify potential control networks. We use resonant scanning 2-photon microscopy for in vivo brain-wide imaging and custom designed behavioral assays for the study.
Results We first show that 5-7 day old zebrafish larvae react to an alarm pheromone (Schreckstoff) with reduced mobility. They subsequently display heightened vigilance, as evidenced by increased dark avoidance. Calcium imaging indicates that exposure to Schreckstoff elicits stimulus-locked activity in olfactory sensory neurons innervating a lateral glomerulus and in telencephalic regions including the putative medial amygdala and entopeduncular nucleus. Sustained activity outlasting the stimulus delivery was detected in regions regulating neuromodulator release, including the lateral habenula, posterior tuberculum, superior raphe, and locus coeruleus.
Conclusion We propose that these latter regions contribute to the network that defines the "threatened" state, while neurons with transient activity serve as the trigger. Our study highlights the utility of the zebrafish larval alarm response system to examine neural circuits during stress dependent brain state transitions and to discover potential therapeutic agents when such transitions are disrupted.
Genes / Markers
Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping