The Spinning Task: A New Protocol to Easily Assess Motor Coordination and Resistance in Zebrafish

Abstract

The increasing use of adult zebrafish in behavioral studies has created the need for new and improved protocols. Our investigation sought to evaluate the swimming behavior of zebrafish against a water current using the newly developed Spinning Task. Zebrafish were individually placed in a beaker containing a spinning magnetic stirrer and their latency to be swept into the whirlpool was recorded. We characterized that larger fish (>4 cm) and lower rpm decreased the swimming time in the Spinning Task. There was also a dose-related reduction in swimming after acute treatment with haloperidol, valproic acid, clonazepam, and ethanol, which alter coordination. Importantly, at doses that reduced swimming time in the Spinning Task, these drugs influenced absolute turn angle (ethanol increased and the other drugs decreased), but had no effect of distance travelled in a regular water tank. These results suggest that the Spinning Task is a useful protocol to add information to the assessment of zebrafish motor behavior.

Brain Intraventricular Injection of Amyloid-β in Zebrafish Embryo Impairs Cognition and Increases Tau Phosphorylation, Effects Reversed by Lithium

“…Individually locomotor evaluation and exploratory parameters showed no statistical differences between groups, including total distance travelled (p = 0.250 F (1,179)  = 1.40), mean speed (p = 0.181 F (1,185)  = 1.72), time spent mobile (p = 0.70 F (1,182)  = 0.36) and path absolute turn angle, a motor coordination parameter [34], (p = 0.409 F (1,186)  = 0.90) using two-way ANOVA (data not shown). However, when cognitive escaping responses from an aversive stimulus was evaluated, we observed a significant effect of Aβ-injection and LiCl-treatment (two-way ANOVA p<0.0001 F (1,166)  = 40.77 on treatment effect, and p<0.0001 F (2,166)  = 21.13 on injection effect) (Figure 2).…”

Neuro‐ and hepatic toxicological profile of (S)‐2,4‐diaminobutanoic acid in embryonic, adolescent and adult zebrafish

“…To determine if a short exposure of DABA could have an effect on the swimming ability, endurance and motility of the zebrafish, we modified the established spinning task protocol (Blazina et al, 2013). To quantify endurance, 10 zebrafish were selected from each treatment group and tested in three separate trials.…”

Zebrafish: a novel model in neuropsychopharmacological research

“…These results recommend that the spinning task is a useful protocol to complement evidence to the assessment of zebrafish motor behaviour. 16 While most of the disease modelling using zebrafish has made use of adults, larvae too have remarkable potential for the high-throughput screening of prospective therapeutics. The additional development of larval disease models will reinforce their ability to add to the drug screening process.…”