Líffræðifélag Íslands
Líffræðiráðstefnan 2015
Erindi/veggspjald / Talk/poster V38
Kolbeinsdóttir, M1., Lejnowski, D2., Þorsteinsson, H3. & Karlsson, KÆ3
1. University of Iceland, 2. Gdansk University of Technology, Gdansk, Poland. 3. Reykjavik University, School of Science and Engineering
Kynnir / Presenter: Kolbeinsdóttir, M.
Tengiliður / Corresponding author: Karlsson, K.Æ. (karlsson@ru.is)
"Zebrafish are rapidly gaining popularity as a model in sleep research. Due their high fecundity, genetic tractability and many molecular tools zebrafish offer many novel routes in studying sleep than more traditional animal models. Obviously, a consensus on sleep definition is key for any such endeavour. Traditionally sleep is measured, and defined, using electroenchephalography. This is not possible in zebrafish and their sleep is measured and definded using purely behavioral assays. This approach is frought with difficulties. One of which is that software used to measure the behavior is limited to a single fish at a time; that is, measuring sleep in a schols has not been possible. This raises the question if sleep patterns recorded in highly artificial setting (i.e in isolation) is comparable to sleep patterns in more naturalist setting (i.e. in schools). Therefore, using novel behavioral tracking software (www.neural-circuits.org/tracking-videos) we compare sleep parameters measured in isolation, or in schools three, five or seven fish. We show there is a decrease in sleep ratio with increased number of fish. These findings suggest that sleep ratios in zebrafish, exclusively measured in highly artifical settings may be overestimated. "