Zebrafish Models in Neurobehavioral Research

Abstract

Shortly after larval zebrafish become free swimming their behavior is modulated by both autochthonous signals and external stimuli. Larvae show rapid responses to a range of sensory cues but are also capable of executing extended behavioral programs in response to changes in the environment. At this early stage, larvae have a small repertoire of discrete stereotyped movements which are deployed in different contexts to generate appropriate behavior. We outline the range of behaviors defined in zebrafish larvae to date and discuss insights into neural function revealed by behavioral assays. A growing body of work demonstrates that tractability of behavior and neural connectivity in larval zebrafish facilitate the analysis of neural pathways underlying vertebrate motor control and sensory processing. 2011 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.