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Biology
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Social Behavior in Zebrafish
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Social Behavior in Zebrafish

A special issue of Biology (ISSN 2079-7737). This special issue belongs to the section "Behavioural Biology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2025 | Viewed by 6863

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Lars Westberg

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology at the Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, P.O. Box 431, 405 30 Gothenburg, Sweden
Interests: social behavior; oxytocin; hormones; monoamines; autism; genetics; imaging; pharmacology; drug screening; zebrafish
Dr. Soaleha Shams

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55902, USA
Interests: zebrafish; isolation; early-life-stress; autism; depression; anxiety; mutants; genetics

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Social interactions with conspecifics are adaptive and come with biological benefits and costs. In addition to mating, parenting, and aggression, studying the neurobiology of other forms of dyadic and group social behaviours also has translational value. Besides increasing basic knowledge, such understanding may also contribute towards the development of treatment options for atypical social behaviours that exist in various human disorders such as autism, anxiety and mood disorders, and stress-related disorders.

Zebrafish is a highly social species that provides many advantages for studying the neuroscience of social behaviours. In contrast to rodent models, zebrafish are precocial, diurnal, and mainly rely on their vision (rather than olfaction). Zebrafish also offer ease of genetic modifiability, high fecundity, short generation time, the capacity for high-throughput studies, and a high level of conservation with the mammalian brain. The transparency and size of the larval brain also make pre-clinical studies feasible for interventions such as drug treatments and genetic modifications that influence neuronal activity on a whole-brain level.

The aim of this Special Issue is to present recent findings about the ontogeny and expression of social behaviours in zebrafish, systematic characterization of shoaling, schooling, aggression and mating behaviours, as well as the underlying neuronal and molecular mechanisms of these various social behaviours. Furthermore, we aim to provide an overview of the various methodological possibilities provided by the zebrafish model. Descriptions of social behaviours in zebrafish mutants, generated by chemical mutagenesis, Crispr-Cas9 and other reverse genetic tools, lacking genes known to cause or contribute to autism or other disorders characterized by deficits in social communication, would be intriguing contributions for this Special Issue. Furthermore, contributions from the long-standing field of research into the effects of toxins, stress, and other environmental factors on zebrafish social behaviour are also highly prioritized. To enhance knowledge regarding neural and molecular mechanisms relevant for social behaviours, we encourage pharmacological studies using drugs with known targets or explorative drug screens. Investigations of relevant neuronal activity and neurotransmitter function would also be valuable complements to this Special Issue.

Prof. Dr. Lars Westberg
Dr. Soaleha Shams
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Biology is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • zebrafish
  • social behavior
  • mutant
  • transgenic
  • central nervous system
  • autism
  • pharmacology
  • imaging
  • genetics
  • environmental factor

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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19 pages, 2451 KiB  
Article
Zebrafish (Danio rerio) Prefer Undisturbed Shoals over Shoals Exposed to the Synthetic Alarm Substance Hypoxanthine-3N-oxide (C5H4N4O2)
by Andrew Velkey, Kaitlyn Kinslow, Megan Bowers, Ethan Hoffman, Jamie Martin and Bandhavi Surisetty
Biology 2025, 14(3), 233; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology14030233 - 25 Feb 2025
Viewed by 987
Abstract
As an anti-predation behavior, shoaling enhances survival among prey species by reducing individual predation risk through mechanisms like the dilution effect and collective vigilance. Zebrafish—a highly social and genetically tractable species—are valuable for studying these behaviors. The present study examined zebrafish’s social preferences [...] Read more.
As an anti-predation behavior, shoaling enhances survival among prey species by reducing individual predation risk through mechanisms like the dilution effect and collective vigilance. Zebrafish—a highly social and genetically tractable species—are valuable for studying these behaviors. The present study examined zebrafish’s social preferences in a 3-chamber open-tank free-swim task, assessing whether visual cues alone could distinguish between an intact and an alarmed shoal exposed to the synthetic alarm substance H3NO. Subjects were allowed to freely associate with either shoal while their behaviors were recorded and analyzed. The results reveal a significant preference for proximity to the intact shoal, indicating zebrafish’s ability to visually discern threat levels. Subjects spent nearly twice as much time in the zone near the intact shoal, with reduced freezing and faster movement velocities compared to the alarmed shoal zone. Males exhibited more freezing behavior than females, consistent with sex-specific strategies in threat response. These findings underscore zebrafish’s reliance on visual cues for social responding under predatory threat and highlight sex-based differences in threat perception. This research expands the understanding of zebrafish’s social dynamics and provides a robust framework for future exploration of the neural mechanisms underlying social behavior and threat assessment in zebrafish. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social Behavior in Zebrafish)
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15 pages, 2330 KiB  
Article
Effects of Noise Exposure and Ageing on Anxiety and Social Behaviour in Zebrafish
by Raquel O. Vasconcelos, Flora Gordillo-Martinez, Andreia Ramos and Ieng Hou Lau
Biology 2023, 12(9), 1165; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology12091165 - 24 Aug 2023
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 2659
Abstract
Noise pollution is creating a wide range of health problems related to physiological stress and anxiety that impact the social life of vertebrates, including humans. Ageing is known to be associated with changes in susceptibility to acoustic stimuli; however, the interaction between noise [...] Read more.
Noise pollution is creating a wide range of health problems related to physiological stress and anxiety that impact the social life of vertebrates, including humans. Ageing is known to be associated with changes in susceptibility to acoustic stimuli; however, the interaction between noise effects and senescence is not well understood. We tested the effects of 24 h continuous white noise (150 dB re 1 Pa) on both young adults and old zebrafish in terms of anxiety (novel tank diving test), social interactions (with mirror/conspecific attraction), and shoaling behaviour. Both noise and ageing induced higher anxiety responses in a novel environment. Since the old zebrafish showed longer bottom dwelling, acoustic treatment induced the opposite pattern with an initial increase in vertical exploration in the aged individuals. Both noise- and age-related anxiety responses were lowered when individuals were tested within a group. Regarding social interactions, both noise and ageing seemed to cause an increase in their proximity to a mirror. Although the results were not statistically significant, noise exposure seemed to further enhance conspecific attraction. Moreover, the interindividual distance within a shoal decreased with noise treatment in the aged individuals. This study is a first attempt to investigate the effects of both noise and ageing on zebrafish behaviour, suggesting the age-dependent physiological coping mechanisms associated with environmental stress. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social Behavior in Zebrafish)
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15 pages, 2631 KiB  
Article
Agouti-Signalling Protein Overexpression Reduces Aggressiveness in Zebrafish
by Ana Rocha, Alejandra Godino-Gimeno, Josep Rotllant and José Miguel Cerdá-Reverter
Biology 2023, 12(5), 712; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology12050712 - 13 May 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2314
Abstract
Feeding motivation plays a crucial role in food intake and growth. It closely depends on hunger and satiation, which are controlled by the melanocortin system. Overexpression of the inverse agonist agouti-signalling protein (ASIP) and agouti-related protein (AGRP) leads to enhanced food intake, linear [...] Read more.
Feeding motivation plays a crucial role in food intake and growth. It closely depends on hunger and satiation, which are controlled by the melanocortin system. Overexpression of the inverse agonist agouti-signalling protein (ASIP) and agouti-related protein (AGRP) leads to enhanced food intake, linear growth, and weight. In zebrafish, overexpression of Agrp leads to the development of obesity, in contrast to the phenotype observed in transgenic zebrafish that overexpress asip1 under the control of a constitutive promoter (asip1-Tg). Previous studies have demonstrated that asip1-Tg zebrafish exhibit larger sizes but do not become obese. These fish display increased feeding motivation, resulting in a higher feeding rate, yet a higher food ration is not essential in order to grow larger than wild-type (WT) fish. This is most likely attributed to their improved intestinal permeability to amino acids and enhanced locomotor activity. A relationship between high feeding motivation and aggression has been previously reported in some other transgenic species showing enhanced growth. This study aims to elucidate whether the hunger observed in asip1-Tg is linked to aggressive behaviour. Dominance and aggressiveness were quantified using dyadic fights and mirror-stimulus tests, in addition to the analysis of basal cortisol levels. The results indicate that asip1-Tg are less aggressive than WT zebrafish in both dyadic fights and mirror-stimulus tests. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social Behavior in Zebrafish)
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Review

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20 pages, 1221 KiB  
Review
Experimental PTSD Models in Zebrafish: A Systematic Review of Behavioral, Neurochemical, and Molecular Outcomes
by Alexey Sarapultsev, Evgenii Gusev, Desheng Hu and Maria Komelkova
Biology 2025, 14(5), 456; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology14050456 - 23 Apr 2025
Abstract
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a complex psychiatric condition characterized by persistent behavioral and neurobiological alterations following trauma. Although rodent models are commonly used to study PTSD, zebrafish (Danio rerio) have emerged as a promising alternative due to their genetic similarity [...] Read more.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a complex psychiatric condition characterized by persistent behavioral and neurobiological alterations following trauma. Although rodent models are commonly used to study PTSD, zebrafish (Danio rerio) have emerged as a promising alternative due to their genetic similarity to humans, conserved stress response systems, and high-throughput capabilities. This systematic review evaluates 33 experimental studies on zebrafish PTSD models, focusing on behavioral, neurochemical, and molecular outcomes. Chronic unpredictable stress (CUS/UCS) paradigms of 14–15 days were identified as the most reliable for inducing PTSD-like phenotypes, consistently resulting in anxiety-like behaviors, cortisol dysregulation, and gene expression changes. In contrast, acute stress models produced transient effects, and social defeat paradigms showed methodological variability. Chronic models frequently demonstrated neurotransmitter imbalances, oxidative stress, and upregulation of inflammatory and neuroplasticity-related genes. However, the literature revealed challenges, including protocol heterogeneity, limited sex-specific analyses, and constraints in longitudinal biomarker tracking. Future directions include epigenetic profiling, environmental standardization, and cross-species validation. When used with methodological rigor, zebrafish offer a powerful and translationally relevant platform to study PTSD mechanisms and screen novel interventions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social Behavior in Zebrafish)
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