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Quantifying Aggressive Behavior in Zebrafish

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Zebrafish

Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology ((MIMB,volume 1451))

Abstract

Aggression is a complex behavior that influences social relationships and can be seen as adaptive or maladaptive depending on the context and intensity of expression. A model organism suitable for genetic dissection of the underlying neural mechanisms of aggressive behavior is still needed. Zebrafish has already proven to be a powerful vertebrate model organism for the study of normal and pathological brain function. Despite the fact that zebrafish is a gregarious species that forms shoals, when allowed to interact in pairs, both males and females express aggressive behavior and establish dominance hierarchies. Here, we describe two protocols that can be used to quantify aggressive behavior in zebrafish, using two different paradigms: (1) staged fights between real opponents and (2) mirror-elicited fights. We also discuss the methodology for the behavior analysis, the expected results for both paradigms, and the advantages and disadvantages of each paradigm in face of the specific goals of the study.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank Nuno Marques Pereira for helpful discussions on the tagging procedure. The writing of this book chapter was supported by a grant from Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT, EXCL/BIA-ANM/0549/2012). MCT is supported by a Ph.D. fellowship from FCT (SFRH/BD/44848/2008).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. ISPA – Instituto Universitário, Rua Jardim do Tabaco 34, Lisbon, 1149-041, Portugal

    Magda C. Teles & Rui F. Oliveira

  2. Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Rua da Quinta Grande 6, Oeiras, 2780-156, Portugal

    Magda C. Teles & Rui F. Oliveira

  3. Champalimaud Neuroscience Programme, Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, Av. Brasília, Doca de Pedrouços, Lisbon, 1400-038, Portugal

    Magda C. Teles & Rui F. Oliveira

Authors
  1. Magda C. Teles
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  2. Rui F. Oliveira
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Rui F. Oliveira .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Molecular and Developmental Biology, National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, Japan

    Koichi Kawakami

  2. Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, MRC Human Genetics Unit & The University of Edinburgh Cancer Research UK Centre, Edinburgh, United Kingdom

    E. Elizabeth Patton

  3. Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, Champalimaud Neuroscience Programme Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, Lisbon, Portugal

    Michael Orger

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Teles, M.C., Oliveira, R.F. (2016). Quantifying Aggressive Behavior in Zebrafish. In: Kawakami, K., Patton, E., Orger, M. (eds) Zebrafish. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 1451. Humana Press, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-3771-4_20

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-3771-4_20

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  • Publisher Name: Humana Press, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4939-3769-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4939-3771-4

  • eBook Packages: Springer Protocols

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