Desempenho do Guppy (Poecilia reticulata) em modelos de ansiedade: campo aberto, preferência claro-escuro e labirinto em cruz com rampa

Abstract

The use of animal models in experimental research in the last decades has shown to be more diversified than the classical model through the use of rodent or primate. This is mainly by advances in molecular, morphological and functional studies that revealed a big homology between the vertebrates. On this perspective, the Zebrafish (Danio rerio) has shown to be the non-mammal animal with biggest ascension as a study model in biological sciences in the latest decades. However, other species of fish also show to be promising as alternatives of use as animal model. This study used Guppy (Poecilia reticulata) as model for the research in behavior through different experimental approaches. In study I, guppies were exposed and re-exposed in different shifts (morning, afternoon, evening and night) in the open field test and light-dark preference. The found results show that in both tests, male and female present behavioral differences, being sensitive to re-exposure, with capacity of learning e controlling of the circadian cycle. In study II, was developed a plus-maze with ramp where it was verified the sensibility of the specie to the apparatus, the profile of response upon re-exposure and the drug effect. The results revealed sensibility to the apparatus with a height of water column at 8 cm and 5 minutes of session and differences between sex and learning by habituation along the re-expositions. The pharmacological study indicates that in this apparatus, the specie is sensitive to anxiolytic and anxiogenic drugs. Finally, we can conclude that Guppy presents similar behavior and drug responses compatible with the data described to the Zebrafish. These similarities reinforce the use of fishes as an alternative to the use of mammals in animal experimentation.