Abstract
Zebrafish anxiety-like behavior was assessed in the novel tank test after the formation of dominant-subordinate hierarchies. Ten pairs of animals were subjected to dyadic interactions for 5 days, and compared with control animals. After this period, a clear dominance hierarchy was established across all dyads, irrespective of sex. Social status affected parameters of anxiety-like behavior in the novel tank test, with subordinate males and females displaying more bottom-dwelling, absolute turn angle, and freezing than dominant animals and controls. The results suggest that subordinate male and female zebrafish show higher anxiety-like behavior, which together with previous literature suggests that subordination stress is conserved across vertebrates.
Highlights
Whenever established between animals, dominance hierarchies usually produce relevant behavioral adaptations in both dominant and subordinate individuals
A partially ordered set (POSET)-test for all variables did not find significant differences between males and females (Z = 0.6782, p = 0.619), reinforcing the idea that both male and female zebrafish can enter into dominant-subordinate hierarchies
The present work tested the hypothesis that status in a dominance-subordinate hierarchy increases anxiety-like behavior in the zebrafish
Summary
Dominance hierarchies usually produce relevant behavioral adaptations in both dominant and subordinate individuals. The experience of subordination is sometimes used as a model of psychosocial stress, as many stressors that are relevant to human mental health involve experiencing social subordination (Blanchard et al, 1993; Read and Harper, 2020). Another relevant model organism for behavioral neuroscience and biological psychiatry is the zebrafish (Stewart et al, 2014), which has been widely used in behavioral tests and as a model of anxiety-like behavior (Kysil et al, 2017). Zebrafish seem to be an ideal fish species to understand the effects of social subordination on anxiety-like behavior
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
