Author Spotlight: Assessment of Environmental and Drug-Induced Behavioral Changes in Adult Zebrafish

Our main research aims to identify the behavioral effects induced by environmental pollutants and drugs in fish. Also trying to understand the mechanisms leading to these effects. A social and anxiety-like behavior cannot be conveniently addressed using embryos.

We conduct studies targeting these behaviors in the adult Zebrafish model. This protocol details how to implement behavioral tools with basic material resources to facilitate the reproducibility of tests and harmonize the results obtained within the scientific community. The assays presented in this protocol have proven to be highly reproducible and sensitive to genetic and pharmacological manipulations, making them variable and noninvasive tools fostering the neural and molecular mechanisms underlying behavior.

Once a behavioral effort has been identified, the most challenging part is to determine the specific modes of action leading to the observative efforts. Starting by the molecular initiating event where predictions can provide some clues on the molecular initiating event, we are still far from obtaining accurate predictions. We are currently interested in the determining the phase validity of the chemical models of Parkinson's disease developed in embryonic and adult Zebrafish by using MPTP and rotenone with the same, the kinematic of the gait-like movement or during an explosive movement like the acoustic evoked escape response, will be evaluated.