Y-maze avoidance: An automated and rapid associative learning paradigm in zebrafish

• DOI: 10.1016/j.neures.2014.10.012
• Publication Date: 2014-11-04T10:53:13Z
• Authors: Ryo Aoki; Takashi Tsuboi; Hitoshi Okamoto
• Keywords: 03 medical and health sciences; 0302 clinical medicine; Models, Animal; Avoidance Learning; Animals; Association Learning; Maze Learning; Zebrafish

Adult zebrafish are gaining attention in behavioral neuroscience. By combining video tracking and computer-controlled visual cue presentations on a liquid crystal display screen under the tank, we have developed a new method by which zebrafish can be trained to avoid one arm of a Y-shaped tank by presenting a specific color on the floor paired with an electric shock. Within two hours, zebrafish learn to choose the correct arm at an efficiency of 89.0%. In addition, we also developed a graphical user interface to modify the paradigm assessment parameters such as shape of the tank and time schedules.