PUBLICATION
A Simple Tube Escape Assay to Test Learning and Memory in Zebrafish with Minimized Habituation
- Authors
- Wellalage Don, D., Kim, T.Y., Hong, B.N., Lee, J.S., Kang, T.H., Gerlai, R., Kim, C.H.
- ID
- ZDB-PUB-240516-4
- Date
- 2024
- Source
- Zebrafish 21(5): 329-337 (Journal)
- Registered Authors
- Gerlai, Robert T., Kim, Cheol-Hee, Lee, Jeong-Soo
- Keywords
- autism model, habituation, memory and learning, zebrafish
- MeSH Terms
-
- Gene Knockout Techniques
- Animals
- Zebrafish*/physiology
- Habituation, Psychophysiologic*
- Swimming
- PubMed
- 38748396 Full text @ Zebrafish
Abstract
Various methods have been used in rodents to evaluate learning and memory. Although much less frequently used, the zebrafish emerges as an alternative model organism in this context. For example, it allows assessing potential behavioral deficits because of neurodevelopmental disorders or environmental neurotoxins. A variety of learning tasks have been employed in previous studies that required extensive habituation and training sessions. Here, we introduce a simpler and faster method to evaluate learning and memory of zebrafish with minimum habituation. A new apparatus, a transparent L-shaped tube, was developed in which we trained each zebrafish to swim through a long arm and measured the time to swim through this arm. We demonstrate that in this task, zebrafish could acquire both short-term (1 h) and long-term memory (4 days). We also studied learning and memory of a gene knockout (KO) zebrafish that showed social impairments related to autism. We found KO mutant zebrafish to show a quantitative impairment in habituation, learning, and memory performance compared with wild-type control fish. In conclusion, we established a novel learning apparatus and sensitive paradigm that allowed us to evaluate learning and memory of adult zebrafish that required only a brief habituation period and minimal training.
Genes / Markers
Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping