Effect of MK-801 onto recognition and remembrance of a previous fight in zebrafish males.

LUCIANO CAVALLINO; MARÍA FLORENCIA SCAIA; POZZI ANDREA ; PEDREIRA EUGENIA

CABA

Congreso; Congreso Anual de la Sociedad Argentina de Investigación en Neurociencias (SAN 2022); 2022

Aggressive encounters can cause injuries and require a significant energy investment. Recognizing and remembering a previous opponent can be beneficial since it can facilitate changes in fighting strategies in subsequent encounters, thus reducing energy investment and potential danger. In this sense, zebrafish males resolve a second encounter against the same opponent with lower levels of aggression than in the first one, while aggression is maintained if the opponent is a stranger. After a 24 hour isolation, pairs of adult zebrafish males were allowed to participate in an agonistic encounter. After 30 minutes, individuals were immediately exposed to 15 or 60 minutes of water or MK-801 (antagonist of NMDA receptor, 20 μM). Fish were isolated again for 24 or 48 hours and exposed to a second fight against the same opponent . Total time of aggression and frequency of bites were compared between day 1 and 2. Results suggest that individuals exposed to water and to 15 min MK-801resolve the second encounter with significantly lower levels of aggression. Nevertheless, after 60 minute exposure to MK-801, no differences were found in aggression between day 1 and 2, regardless of the interval between fights (24 or 48 hours). These results suggest that individuals resolve subsequent encounters against the same opponent with lower aggression, but 60 minutes treatment with an amnesic drug after the first encounter restores the levels of aggression similar to the first day.