Nociception-related behavioral phenotypes in adult zebrafish

Animal models of nociception are critical for understanding biological processes associated with pain and its central effects on behavior, cognition, and emotions. However, unlike humans, laboratory animal models have less complex neural processing networks, making it difficult to correlate nociception with individual subjective experience. Although rodents are widely used in translational pain research, alternative experimental models may also be useful, reflecting evolutionarily conserved mechanisms of nociception and their related behavioral phenotypes. Novel model organisms, such as zebrafish (Danio rerio), are emerging as a promising in vivo tool to study nociception. Here, we discuss adult zebrafish models of pain and pain-like behavioral responses, summarize the existing challenges and outline future directions of research in this rapidly developing field.