PUBLICATION

The Dorsal Raphe Modulates Sensory Responsiveness during Arousal in Zebrafish

Authors
Yokogawa, T., Hannan, M.C., and Burgess, H.A.
ID
ZDB-PUB-121105-8
Date
2012
Source
The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience   32(43): 15205-15215 (Journal)
Registered Authors
Burgess, Harold
Keywords
none
MeSH Terms
  • Analysis of Variance
  • Animals
  • Animals, Genetically Modified
  • Arousal/physiology*
  • Behavior, Animal/physiology
  • Calcium/metabolism
  • Carrier Proteins/genetics
  • Caspase 3
  • Electric Stimulation
  • In Situ Nick-End Labeling
  • Larva
  • Luminescent Proteins/genetics
  • Motor Activity/genetics
  • Motor Activity/physiology
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins/genetics
  • Neural Pathways/physiology
  • Neurons/physiology*
  • Physical Stimulation
  • Raphe Nuclei/cytology*
  • Raphe Nuclei/physiology
  • Sensory Thresholds/physiology
  • Serotonin/metabolism
  • Superior Colliculi/physiology
  • Time Factors
  • Tryptophan Hydroxylase/genetics
  • Vibration
  • Zebrafish
PubMed
23100441 Full text @ J. Neurosci.
Abstract

During waking behavior, animals adapt their state of arousal in response to environmental pressures. Sensory processing is regulated in aroused states, and several lines of evidence imply that this is mediated at least partly by the serotonergic system. However, there is little information directly showing that serotonergic function is required for state-dependent modulation of sensory processing. Here we find that zebrafish larvae can maintain a short-term state of arousal during which neurons in the dorsal raphe modulate sensory responsiveness to behaviorally relevant visual cues. After a brief exposure to water flow, larvae show elevated activity and heightened sensitivity to perceived motion. Calcium imaging of neuronal activity after flow revealed increased activity in serotonergic neurons of the dorsal raphe. Genetic ablation of these neurons abolished the increase in visual sensitivity during arousal without affecting baseline visual function or locomotor activity. We traced projections from the dorsal raphe to a major visual area, the optic tectum. Laser ablation of the tectum demonstrated that this structure, like the dorsal raphe, is required for improved visual sensitivity during arousal. These findings reveal that serotonergic neurons of the dorsal raphe have a state-dependent role in matching sensory responsiveness to behavioral context.

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