Abstract
The zebrafish larva has been a valuable model system for genetic and molecular studies of development. More recently, biologists have begun to exploit the surprisingly rich behavioral repertoire of zebrafish larvae to investigate behavior. One prominent behavior exhibited by zebrafish early in development is a rapid escape reflex (the C-start). This reflex is mediated by a relatively simple neural circuit, and is therefore an attractive model behavior for neurobiological investigations of simple forms of learning and memory. Here, we describe two forms of short-lived habituation of the C-start in response to brief pulses of auditory stimuli. A rapid form, persisting for ≥1 min but <15 min, was induced by 120 pulses delivered at 0.5–2.0 Hz. A more extended form (termed “short-term habituation” here), which persisted for ≥25 min but <1 h, was induced by spaced training. The spaced training consisted of 10 blocks of auditory pulses delivered at 1 Hz (5 min interblock interval, 900 pulses per block). We found that these two temporally distinguishable forms of habituation are mediated by different cellular mechanisms. The short-term form depends on activation of N-methyl-d-aspartate receptors (NMDARs), whereas the rapid form does not.
Highlights
A major goal of modern neuroscience is to characterize the physical changes within the nervous system that underlie learning and memory
A vertebrate with complex vertebrate behavior [13], zebrafish exhibit some simple behaviors that are regulated by relatively simple neural circuits, circuits that are highly amenable to neurophysiological analyses [14,15]
One such behavior is the startle response. This rapid escape response is mediated by a well-defined neural circuit in the brainstem and spinal cord; a major component of this circuit is a small number of hindbrain neurons, the most prominent of which are the large, bilaterally paired Mauthner (M) cells [7,16,17,18,19]
Summary
A major goal of modern neuroscience is to characterize the physical changes within the nervous system that underlie learning and memory. The zebrafish has several attributes that make it attractive as a model organism for biological investigations of behavior Among these are rapid development, high fecundity, and ease of genetic manipulation [7,8]. A vertebrate with complex vertebrate behavior [13], zebrafish exhibit some simple behaviors that are regulated by relatively simple neural circuits, circuits that are highly amenable to neurophysiological analyses [14,15]. One such behavior is the startle response. A close relative of the zebrafish, the C-start circuit is highly plastic [20,21,22,23,24]
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