Characterization of selected single and convergent stimuli-induced behaviors in larval zebrafish

Abstract

In this work, we designed and implemented several distinct and combined behavior stimuli experimental setups, which were used to characterize larval zebrafish behavior at various stimuli parameters. Tested stimuli was chosen from the perspective of eventual fluorescent neural imaging, so as to be both compatible with, and aware of the stimulating aspects of, a conventional florescence microscope incorporating an excitation laser. Despite the high variance of typical zebrafish behavioral responses, we were able to draw several conclusions. We characterized some optimal stimuli parameters for eliciting consistent responses, from time between stimuli trials to the speed at which a motion stimuli should be moved. We found that the presence of higher temperatures heavily mediates stimuli response, from startle to food-seeking behavior. We characterized a method of distinguishing between a behavioral movement response in reaction to an externally induced shock stimuli, and a directly-induced muscle contraction from the same stimuli. From an imaging perspective, when performing imaging using a typical, stimulating, florescence microscope laser, it appears that visual stimuli response is mediated, but not the nonvisual stimuli of a shock. In the future, observed transitions between behavioral states in response to thresholds of chosen stimuli parameters may be used as tools to explore how decisions are made at these junctures.