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Table 2 Pharmacological treatments with known behavioural effects on adult zebrafish.

From: Adult zebrafish as a model organism for behavioural genetics

Behaviour

Modulating agent

Function / Activity

Effect

Reference

Aggression

Ethanol

GABA-A receptor modulator

Increases aggression

[85]

Aggression

17α-ethinylestradiol

Synthetic oestrogen

Reduces aggression

[44]

Antipredation

Ethanol

GABA-A receptor modulator

Impaired by high doses

[6]

Anxiety

Diazepam

Benzodiazepine

Reduces anxiety

[49, 86]

Anxiety

FG-7142

Benzodiazepine inv. agonist

Increases anxiety

[49]

Anxiety

Pentylenetetrazole

GABA antagonist

Increases anxiety

[53]

Anxiety

Ethanol

GABA-A receptor modulator

Reduces anxiety

[50, 53]

Anxiety

Buspirone

Htr1A partial agonist

Reduces anxiety

[55]

Anxiety

Alarm substance

Hypoxanthine-3N-oxide

Increases anxiety

[50, 52]

Anxiety

Nicotine

NachR agonist

Reduces anxiety

[34]

Anxiety

Methyllycaconitine

Nicotinic antagonist

Anxiolytic

[55]

Anxiety

Dihydro-β-erythroidine

Nicotinic antagonist

Anxiolytic

[55]

Anxiety

Mecamylamine

Nicotinic antagonist

Anxiolytic

[34]

Anxiety

Morphine

Opiate

Reduces anxiety

[53]

Anxiety

Cocaine (withdrawal)

Psychostimulant

Increases anxiety

[49]

Anxiety

Fluoxetine

5-HT reuptake inhibitor

Reduces anxiety

[50, 53]

Anxiety

Caffeine

Xanthine alkaloid

Increases anxiety

[50, 53]

Group preference

Ethanol

GABA-A receptor modulator

Reduced at high conc.

[6]

Learning

α FMH

HDAC inhibitor

Impairs long term memory

[30]

Learning

Nicotine

NachR agonist

Improves learning

[34, 35]

Learning

MK-801

NMDA antagonist

Impairs memory

[27, 28]

Learning

L-NAME

NO synthase inhibitor

Impairs memory retention

[27]

Light/Dark pref

Ethanol

GABA-A receptor modulator

Decreased at high conc.

[6]

Locomotion

Ethanol

GABA-A receptor modulator

Reduced at high conc.

[6]

Reward

Acetylcholine

Cholinergic agonist

Non-rewarding

[13]

Reward

Ethanol

GABA-A receptor modulator

Rewarding

[7]

Reward

Nicotine

NachR agonist

Rewarding

[7]

Reward

Food

Nourishment

Rewarding

[10]

Reward

Morphine

Opiate

Rewarding

[10]

Reward

Morphine

Opiate

Rewarding

[10]

Reward

Cocaine

Psychostimulant

Rewarding

[8]

Reward

Amphetamine

Psychostimulant

Rewarding

[9]

Sleep

Dexmedetomidine

alpha2 adrenoceptor agonist

Sedative

[61]

Sleep

Pentobarbital

Barbiturate

Hypnotic

[57]

Sleep

Diazepam

Benzodiazepine

Hypnotic

[57]