Modeling Stress and Anxiety in Zebrafish

While zebrafish (Danio rerio ) are widely utilized as a model species for neuroscience research, they also possess several qualities that make them particularly useful for studying stress and anxiety-related behaviors. Zebrafish neuroendocrine responses are robust, and correlate strongly with behavioral endpoints. These fish are also highly sensitive to various environmental challenges, including novelty stress, exposure to predators, alarm pheromone, anxiogenic drugs, and drug withdrawal. In addition, varying levels of baseline anxiety can be observed in different strains of zebrafish. Collectively, this supports the validity and efficacy of the adult zebrafish model for studying both acute and chronic anxiety.