PUBLICATION

Induction of Social Behavior in Zebrafish: Live Versus Computer Animated Fish as Stimuli

Authors
Qin, M., Wong, A., Seguin, D., Gerlai, R.
ID
ZDB-PUB-140513-458
Date
2014
Source
Zebrafish   11(3): 185-97 (Journal)
Registered Authors
Gerlai, Robert T.
Keywords
none
MeSH Terms
  • Animals
  • Computers*
  • Female
  • Male
  • Photic Stimulation*
  • Social Behavior*
  • Zebrafish/physiology*
PubMed
24575942 Full text @ Zebrafish
Abstract
Abstract The zebrafish offers an excellent compromise between system complexity and practical simplicity and has been suggested as a translational research tool for the analysis of human brain disorders associated with abnormalities of social behavior. Unlike laboratory rodents zebrafish are diurnal, thus visual cues may be easily utilized in the analysis of their behavior and brain function. Visual cues, including the sight of conspecifics, have been employed to induce social behavior in zebrafish. However, the method of presentation of these cues and the question of whether computer animated images versus live stimulus fish have differential effects have not been systematically analyzed. Here, we compare the effects of five stimulus presentation types: live conspecifics in the experimental tank or outside the tank, playback of video-recorded live conspecifics, computer animated images of conspecifics presented by two software applications, the previously employed General Fish Animator, and a new application Zebrafish Presenter. We report that all stimuli were equally effective and induced a robust social response (shoaling) manifesting as reduced distance between stimulus and experimental fish. We conclude that presentation of live stimulus fish, or 3D images, is not required and 2D computer animated images are sufficient to induce robust and consistent social behavioral responses in zebrafish.
Genes / Markers
Figures
Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Antibodies
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping