title: Understanding zebrafish cognition.
abstract: Zebrafish (Danio rerio) are rapidly becoming a popular model organism in translational and cognitive neuroscience research. Both larval and adult zebrafish continue to increase our understanding of cognitive mechanisms and their genetic and pharmacological modulation. Here, we discuss the developing utility of zebrafish in understanding cognitive phenotypes and their deficits, relevant to a wide range human brain disorders. We also discuss the potential of zebrafish models for high-throughput genetic mutant and small molecule screening (e.g., amnestics, cognitive enhancers, neurodevelopmental/neurodegenerative drugs), which becomes critical for identifying novel candidate genes and molecular drug targets to treat cognitive deficits. In addition to discussing the existing challenges and future strategic directions in this field, we emphasize how zebrafish models of cognitive phenotypes continue to form an interesting and rapidly emerging new field in neuroscience.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Translational Biomedicine, St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg 199034, Russia.
authors.forename: Darya A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Meshalkina
authors.affiliation: Institute of Translational Biomedicine, St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg 199034, Russia.
authors.forename: Marina N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Kizlyk
authors.affiliation: Institute of Translational Biomedicine, St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg 199034, Russia.
authors.forename: Elana V
authors.initials: EV
authors.lastname: Kysil
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS, USA.
authors.forename: Adam D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Collier
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS, USA; The International Zebrafish Neuroscience Research Consortium (ZNRC), 309 Palmer Court, Slidell, LA 70458, USA.
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Echevarria
authors.affiliation: Graduate Program in Pharmacology, Federal University of Santa Maria (UFSM), Av. Roraima, 1000, University City, Camobi, Santa Maria, RS 97105-900, Brazil.
authors.forename: Murilo S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Abreu
authors.affiliation: The International Zebrafish Neuroscience Research Consortium (ZNRC), 309 Palmer Court, Slidell, LA 70458, USA; Graduate Program in Pharmacology, Federal University of Santa Maria (UFSM), Av. Roraima, 1000, University City, Camobi, Santa Maria, RS 97105-900, Brazil; Graduate Program in Bioexperimentation, University of Passo Fundo (UPF), BR 285, Passo Fundo, RS 99052-900, Brazil.
authors.forename: Leonardo J G
authors.initials: LJG
authors.lastname: Barcellos
authors.affiliation: Institute for Marine Drugs and Nutrition, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang 330001, China; Graduate Institute of Neural and Cognitive Sciences, China Medical University, Taichung 000001, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Cai
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: Institute of Translational Biomedicine, St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg 199034, Russia; The International Zebrafish Neuroscience Research Consortium (ZNRC), 309 Palmer Court, Slidell, LA 70458, USA; Institute for Marine Drugs and Nutrition, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang 330001, China; Ural Federal University, Ekaterinburg 620002, Russia; Neuropharmacology Laboratory, ZENEREI Research Center, Slidell, LA 70458, USA. Electronic address: avkalueff@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Allan V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Kalueff
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D010641:Phenotype; D015027:Zebrafish
keywords: Cognition; Cognitive deficits; Cognitive tasks; Experimental models; Human cognitive disorders; Zebrafish