ViCoZe · Molecular mechanisms underlying elemental and configural learning in zebrafish
Horizon 2020 — Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
- Duration
- 2021-10-01 → 2023-09-30
- EU contribution
- €191,852
- Participants
- 1
- Scheme
- MSCA-IF
Lines connect the coordinator with its partners.
Results in brief
Molecular mechanisms underlying elemental and configural learning in zebrafish
The ability to learn and remember is essential for all species, including humans, as it is needed at almost every stage of life and for every task. Although research has made significant progress in understanding learning and memory mechanisms in different species (humans, rodents and insects), there is still much that is unknown about other interesting species. This is the case of the zebrafish, a teleost fish that everyone has probably come across in a pet shop, without realising that it is also a research animal model that is still widely used to study different topics in neuroscience and for translational research. In this project, we studied learning and memory in adult zebrafish by developing new, complex protocols adapted to the species and by studying the underlying brain mechanisms and signalling pathways. The results obtained in this project will allow progress to be made in several areas of research. In fact, this vertebrate has a very high genetic homology with humans, making it possible to study the genetic mechanisms underlying human diseases, such as neurodegenerative diseases, in which memory impairment is one of the main symptoms. However, this is still a young model and before it can be used effectively in this type of translational research, it is essential to understand the more fundamental mechanisms underlying the different behaviours. For this reason, the results of this project will contribute to the future use of zebrafish, including the use as a model for studying neurodegenerative, neurodevelopmental or neuropsychiatric diseases. Also, this teleost has a relatively simple and evolutionarily conserved brain, and each of our results will therefore allow us to understand whether learning and memory mechanisms are conserved in vertebrate evolution. Despite the very fundamental nature of this project, any results will have a significant impact on society by 1) allowing a better understanding of the cognition of a new species used in research 2) contributing directly or indirectly to the medical field 3) providing answers about the evolution of vertebrates.
Data: CORDIS, © European Union
Project objective
The ability to learn and memorize information in a constantly changing environment is essential for survival for most species. Two forms of associative learning have been described, elemental and configural, but despite advances in our understanding of their mechanisms, we are still far from having a detailed view of the difference between these two strategies. For the first time, a systematic comparison of elemental and configural learning will be performed in adult zebrafish tested in an automated setup that I previously developed. By pairing the learning experiments with approaches combining pharmacology, neural imagery, biochemistry and genetics, I will aim at identifying brain areas, molecular pathways, especially those involving dopamine and noradrenaline, and genes involved in both forms of learning. Thanks to this project, I will gain invaluable experience from learning new approaches (particularly HPLC, staining and imaging, and RNA sequencing), and improve myself in project management, supervision, and scientific communication; skills required to develop my own independent line of research.By exploring cognition in zebrafish, a model with a high genetic homology with human and that possess an evolutionarily conserved brain, the results from this project will have a major impact on the advancement of different research areas such as psychology, medicine and evolution of vertebrates. In addition, by giving open access on the automated tank system to the whole zebrafish field, the project will ensure a standardization of the methods in the future and provide a powerful tool for many other topics using zebrafish.This project is a unique career opportunity, enhancing my understanding of cognition, and expanding my network to the medical and animal welfare community. This will help me to become a recognised expert in animal cognition in different research areas, and to develop a complete and dynamic research group in the future.
Original text from CORDIS.
Participants
- GOETEBORGS UNIVERSITET · GoeteborgCoordinatorSweden
Links
Data: CORDIS, © European Union