Brain benzodiazepine receptors in fathead minnows and the behavioral response to alarm pheromone

Rehnberg, Bradley G.; Bates, Emily H.; Smith, R. J. F.; Sloley, B.D.; Richardson, Jeremy

doi:10.1016/0091-3057(89)90527-3

Cited by 25 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 34 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Nevertheless, some recent studies suggest that there is reason for optimism. For example, benzodiazepam receptors have been identified in the minnow (Rehnberg et al 1989) as well as in the trout (Wilkinson et al, 1983). Chlorpheniramine as well as Diazepam have been found to reduce anxiety in gold fish (Faganello & Mattioli, 2006), a close relative of zebrafish.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of acute and chronic ethanol exposure on the behavior of adult zebrafish (Danio rerio)

Gerlai

Lee

Blaser

2006

Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior

205

157

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The zebrafish has been a popular subject of embryology and genetic research for the past three decades. Recently, however, the interest in its neurobiology and behavior has also increased. Nevertheless, compared to other model organisms, e.g., rodents, zebrafish behavior is understudied and very few behavioral paradigms exist for mutation or drug screening purposes. Alcoholism is one of the biggest and costliest diseases whose mechanisms are not well understood. Model organisms such as the zebrafish may be utilized in this line of research. Previously, we investigated the effects of acute ethanol exposure on adult zebrafish using four behavioral paradigms and employing manual quantification methods. Here, we study the effects of chronic ethanol exposure and analyze how it modifies the effects of acute ethanol treatment. We employ a videotracking-based automated quantification method in a predator model paradigm and show that this method is capable of detecting an avoidance reaction that is ameliorated by higher doses of ethanol, a potential anxiolytic effect. Importantly, we also demonstrate that chronic, two week long, exposure to ethanol results in significant adaptation to this substance in adult zebrafish. Overall, our results suggest that zebrafish will be an appropriate subject for high throughput screening applications aimed at the analysis of the mechanisms and pharmacology of acute and chronic ethanol induced changes in the vertebrate brain.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of acute and chronic ethanol exposure on the behavior of adult zebrafish (Danio rerio)

Gerlai

Lee

Blaser

2006

Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior

205

157

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…In addition, fear responses to the alarm pheromone diminish when fish are treated with anti-anxiety drugs that bind to specific benzodiazepine receptors in their brain (Rehnberg et al, 1989). Fish, as well as rodents, also show increased exploratory and foraging behaviour in novel, anxiogenic environments when treated with benzodiazepine drugs (Rehnberg et al, 1989). Furthermore, Wisenden and Smith (1998) showed that fish adjust their synthesis of alarm pheromone based upon the level of perceived environmental risk.…”

Section: Fear and Anxietymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Although the pheromone-initiated fright response is innate, Hall and Suboski (1995) demonstrated that control over the inducement of fright behaviour could be transferred, through associative learning processes, from the pheromone to innocuous visual or olfactory stimuli. In addition, fear responses to the alarm pheromone diminish when fish are treated with anti-anxiety drugs that bind to specific benzodiazepine receptors in their brain (Rehnberg et al, 1989). Fish, as well as rodents, also show increased exploratory and foraging behaviour in novel, anxiogenic environments when treated with benzodiazepine drugs (Rehnberg et al, 1989).…”

Section: Fear and Anxietymentioning

confidence: 99%

Can fish suffer?: perspectives on sentience, pain, fear and stress

Chandroo

Duncan

Moccia

2004

Applied Animal Behaviour Science

338

170

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

In contrast to other major forms of livestock agriculture, there is a paucity of scientific information on the welfare of fish raised under intensive aquacultural conditions. This reflects an adherence to the belief that these animals have not evolved the salient biological characteristics that are hypothesised to permit sentience. In this review, we evaluate the scientific evidence for the existence of sentience in fish, and in particular, their ability to experience pain, fear and psychological stress. Teleost fish are considered to have marked differences in some aspects of brain structure and organization as compared to tetrapods, yet they simultaneously demonstrate functional similarities and a level of cognitive development suggestive of sentience. Anatomical, pharmacological and behavioural data suggest that affective states of pain, fear and stress are likely to be experienced by fish in similar ways as in tetrapods. This implies that fish have the capacity to suffer, and that welfare consideration for farmed fish should take these states into account. We suggest that the concept of animal welfare can be applied legitimately to fish. It is therefore appropriate to recognize and study the welfare of farmed fish.

show abstract

“…In the elevated plus-maze, the "stretched attend" posture and sniffing behavior loads as "risk assessment" behavior in mice (Rodgers et al, 1992), which points to the generality of this component across situations. Another example comes from the literature in alarm reactions of fishes: fathead minnows present altered foraging behavior in the presence of an "alarm pheromone" released by co-specifics, and this response is altered by chlordiazepoxide, a classic benzodiazepine (Rehnberg, Bates, Smith, Sloley, & Richardson, 1989).…”

Section: Appetites and Aversions As Constituents Of Behavior: Fear Anmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Risk assessment behavior, the main output from the behavioral inhibition system, is consistently observed across species and situations, being context-sensitive (e.g, to perceived threat and/or metabolic status) and predictably altered by pharmacological manipulations (benzodiazepines and serotoninergic drugs in the rat elevated plus-maze: Pellow et al, 1985; benzodiazepines and serotoninergic drugs in the murine dark/light box test: Costall et al, 1989; benzodiazepines in the response to alarm pheromone in a foraging context in fathead minnows: Rehnberg et al, 1989; benzodiazepines in the novelty response of banded-knife fish: Corrêa & Hoffmann, 1999). There have also been some attempts at neuroanatomical characterizations of anxiety-like behavior (Duncan, Knapp, & Breese, 1996;Misslin, 2003).…”

Section: The Ecological Context Of Anxietymentioning

confidence: 99%

Construct validity of behavioral models of anxiety: Where experimental psychopathology meets ecology and evolution.

Maximino

Brito

Gouvêia

2010

Psychology & Neuroscience

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

In experimental psychopathology, construct validity is usually enhanced by addressing theories from other fields in its nomological network. In the field of anxiety research, this construct is related to antipredator behavior, conserved across phylogeny in its functions and neural basis, but not necessarily on its topography. Even though the relations between behavioral models of anxiety and statements from behavioral ecology and evolutionary biology are commonly made in anxiety research, these are rarely tested, at least explicitly. However, in order to increase construct validity in experimental anxiety, testing predictions from those theories is highly desirable. This article discusses these questions, suggesting a few ways in which behavioral ecological and evolutionary hypotheses of anxiety-like behavior may be tested.

show abstract

Brain benzodiazepine receptors in fathead minnows and the behavioral response to alarm pheromone

Cited by 25 publications

References 34 publications

Effects of acute and chronic ethanol exposure on the behavior of adult zebrafish (Danio rerio)

Effects of acute and chronic ethanol exposure on the behavior of adult zebrafish (Danio rerio)

Can fish suffer?: perspectives on sentience, pain, fear and stress

Construct validity of behavioral models of anxiety: Where experimental psychopathology meets ecology and evolution.

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About