Effects of ZnSO4-induced peripheral anosmia on zebrafish behavior and physiology

Murilo S. Abreu, Ana C.V.V. Giacomini, Rubens Rodriguez, Allan V. Kalueff, Leonardo J.G. Barcellos*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

14 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Olfaction plays a key role in modulating behavioral and physiological responses of various animal species, including fishes. Olfactory deficits can be induced in fish experimentally, and utilized to examine the role of olfaction in their normal and pathological behaviors. Here, we examine whether experimental anosmia, evoked by ZnSO4 in adult zebrafish can be associated with behavioral and/or physiological responses. We show that experimental ZnSO4-induced anosmia caused acute, but not prolonged, anxiogenic-like effects on zebrafish behavior tested in the novel tank test. The procedure also elevated whole-body cortisol levels in zebrafish. Moreover, ZnSO4 treatment, but not sham, produced damage to olfactory epithelium, inducing overt basal cell vacuolization and intercellular edema. The loss of olfaction, assessed by the fish food preference behavior in the aquatic Y-maze, was present 1 h, but not 24 h, after the treatment. Collectively, this suggests that transient experimental anosmia by ZnSO4 modulates zebrafish behavior and olfaction, which can be used to evoke and assess their stress-related anxiety-like states.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)275-281
Number of pages7
JournalBehavioural Brain Research
Volume320
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Mar 2017
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Anxiety
  • Emotional behavior
  • Experimental anosmia protocol
  • Olfactory deprivation
  • Zebrafish

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