Experimental approaches to modeling delirium in zebrafish (Danio rerio)

Delirium is an acute psychiatric syndrome characterized by impaired attention, perception and orientation in space. Albeit known for millennia, the mechanisms and risk factors of delirium remain poorly understood. Experimental animal models, especially rodents, become widely used to understand these pathogenetic aspects. However, a new model organism — zebrafish (Danio rerio) also has promise in this field. Discussed here, recent behavioral tests and protocols for zebrafish enable assessing their behavioral and cognitive function, and its experimental modulation by deliriant drugs and other factors.