Rapid habituation of a touch-induced escape response in Zebrafish (Danio rerio) Larvae.

• Main Authors: Adam C Roberts, Julia Chornak, Joseph B Alzagatiti, Duy T Ly, Brent R Bill, Janie Trinkeller, Kaycey C Pearce, Ronny C Choe, C S Campbell, Dustin Wong, Emily Deutsch, Sarah Hernandez, David L Glanzman
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2019-01-01
• Series: PLoS ONE
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0214374

Zebrafish larvae have several biological features that make them useful for cellular investigations of the mechanisms underlying learning and memory. Of particular interest in this regard is a rapid escape, or startle, reflex possessed by zebrafish larvae; this reflex, the C-start, is mediated by a relatively simple neuronal circuit and exhibits habituation, a non-associative form of learning. Here we demonstrate a rapid form of habituation of the C-start to touch that resembles the previously reported rapid habituation induced by auditory or vibrational stimuli. We also show that touch-induced habituation exhibits input specificity. This work sets the stage for in vivo optical investigations of the cellular sites of plasticity that mediate habituation of the C-start in the larval zebrafish.