title: Development and implementation of a three-choice serial reaction time task for zebrafish (Danio rerio).
abstract: Zebrafish are an established and widely utilized developmental genetic model system, but limitations in developed behavioral assays have meant that their potential as a model in behavioral neuroscience has yet to be fully realized. Here, we describe the development of a novel operant behavioral assay to examine a variety of aspects of stimulus control in zebrafish using a 3 choice serial reaction time task (3 CSRTT). Fish were briefly exposed to three spatially distinct, but perceptually identical stimuli, presented in a random order after a fixed-time inter-trial interval (ITI). Entries to the correct response aperture either during the stimulus presentation, or within a brief limited hold period following presentation, were reinforced with illumination of the magazine light and delivery of a small food reward. Following training, premature responding was probed with a long-ITI session three times; once at baseline, once following a saline injection and once following an injection of a low dose of amphetamine (AMPH; 0.025 mg/kg). We predicted that if premature responding was related to impulsivity (as in rodents) it would be reduced following the AMPH injection. Results confirmed that zebrafish could learn to perform a complex operant task similar to tasks developed for rodents which are used to probe sustained attention and impulsivity, but the results from the AMPH trials were inconclusive. This study provides the foundations for development and further validation of this species as a model for some aspects of human attentional and impulse control disorders, such as substance abuse disorder.
authors: Queen Mary University of London, Mile End, London E1 4NS, United Kingdom.
authors: Matthew O
authors: MO
authors: Parker
authors: Mollie E
authors: ME
authors: Millington
authors: Fraser J
authors: FJ
authors: Combe
authors: Caroline H
authors: CH
authors: Brennan
mesh_terms: D000661:Amphetamine / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants / Q000494:pharmacology; D002755:Choice Behavior / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D003216:Conditioning, Operant / Q000187:drug effects; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D012691:Serial Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D013997:Time Factors; D015027:Zebrafish / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants; D000661:Amphetamine