title: Putative involvement of the nitrergic system on the consolidation, but not initiation, of behavioral sensitization after conspecific alarm substance in zebrafish.
abstract: Stressful manipulations can sensitize the behavior of an organism, increasing anxiety-like behavior after a delay; this long-term stress sensitization can represent the pathophysiological basis of trauma- and stress-related disorders (TRSDs), of which the most prevalent is post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). A role for the glutamate-nitric oxide pathway in this sensitization is implied by behavioral, neurophysiological and genomic data on different species. Here, we report on the long-term sensitization of anxiety-like behavior in zebrafish and the possible participation of nitric oxide in this process. Zebrafish exposed to a conspecific alarm substance (AS) show increased anxiety-like behavior at least 24h after stimulus delivery. Blocking nitric oxide synthesis with l-NAME (5mg/kg) 30min, but not 90min, after AS exposure blocks the sensitization of scototaxis and risk assessment, while treatment 90min after exposure blocks the sensitization of thigmotaxis and erratic swimming; l-NAME was not effective when administered 30min before AS exposure. These data suggest a participation of nitric oxide in the consolidation, but not in the initiation, of behavioral sensitization after predator threat.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Neurociências e Comportamento "Frederico Guilherme Graeff", Departamento de Morfologia e Ciências Fisiológicas, Universidade do Estado do Pará, Marabá, PA, Brazil; Laboratório de Neuroendocrinologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, PA, Brazil. Electronic address: monica.lima@uepa.br.
authors.forename: Monica Gomes
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Lima
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Neurociências e Comportamento "Frederico Guilherme Graeff", Departamento de Morfologia e Ciências Fisiológicas, Universidade do Estado do Pará, Marabá, PA, Brazil.
authors.forename: Suéllen de Nazaré Dos Santos
authors.initials: Sde N
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Neurociências e Comportamento "Frederico Guilherme Graeff", Departamento de Morfologia e Ciências Fisiológicas, Universidade do Estado do Pará, Marabá, PA, Brazil.
authors.forename: Rhayra Xavier do Carmo
authors.initials: RX
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Neuroendocrinologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, PA, Brazil.
authors.forename: Karen Renata Herculano Matos
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Neuroendocrinologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, PA, Brazil.
authors.forename: Evander de Jesus Oliveira
authors.initials: Ede J
authors.lastname: Batista
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Estudos em Saúde e Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Sul e Sudeste do Pará, Marabá, PA, Brazil.
authors.forename: Caio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Maximino
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Neuroendocrinologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, PA, Brazil.
authors.forename: Anderson Manoel
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Herculano
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001007:Anxiety / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester / Q000494:pharmacology; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000502:physiology*; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D013312:Stress, Physiological; D015027:Zebrafish / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester
keywords: Behavioral sensitization; Long-term stress sensitization; Nitric oxide; Predator threat; Zebrafish