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URL: https://dx.doi.org/10.17504/protocols.io.srfed3n

Authors: Caio Maximino

Group: Fish behavior and physiology, Medicinal Plants Southeastern Pará Research Group

Summary: The light/dark test is increasingly being adopted as one of the main behavioral assays in zebrafish neuroscience research. It is based on the innate preference of adult zebrafish for a black vs. a white compartment. Modifications and extensions of the protocol increased its breadth, but also its heterogeneity. The protocol presented here involves confining the animal in a central compartment for a initial 3-min acclimation period, followed by free exploration of an acryllic tank with a black and a white compartment. In addition to observing the spatial distribution of the animal, "ethological" variables (risk assessment, erratic swimming, freezing, thigmotaxis) are also manually scored in the white conpartment; these endpoints are selectively sensitive to drug treatments. The protocol is intended to measure anxiety-like behavior, with anxiogenic effects decreasing time on white and increasing risk assessment and thigmotaxis; some treatments also increase erratic swimming and freezing.

Affiliations: Universidade Federal do Sul e Sudeste do Pará

Version: 2

Publication Date: 2018

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