Marie Renahan
IUUR STEM Summer Research Program
Major: Neuroscience
Mentor: Troy Smith
Parapternotus hasemani, the pig-duck knifefish, is a species of weakly electric fish that can generate and perceive electric signals. The fish’s electric organ, composed of neural tissue, sends out Electric Organ Discharges (EOD) to communicate information between fish and better navigate the murky Amazon waters. Serotonin, or 5HT, is a neurotransmitter that has been associated with the reduction in aggression and inhibition of dominant social interactions in knifefish. 8OH-DPAT is a 5HT1A receptor agonist that has caused an increase in high-frequency male EOD modulations called chirps in sexually dimorphic knifefish species. However, the effect of 8OH-DPAT has not been explored in P. hasemani or other fish that are sexually monomorphic regarding EOD frequency (EODf). Little is known about the effect of pharmacological manipulations of serotonin on behavioral interactions between apteronotid knifefish, as prior studies have focused on housing fish alone for experiments. This project aims to increase understanding of serotonin’s effects on behavior in P. hasemani, seeking to answer the question: How does the modulation of serotonin with 8OH-DPAT impact aggressive behaviors and EODf in P. hasemani fish? Two fish (n=18 males) were placed in an agonistic dyad interaction after one fish was injected with a dose of saline or 8OH-DPAT. The behavior of the fish was analyzed using BORIS, with focus on aggressive interactions. Electric signals converted to audio were analyzed using Adobe Audition, with focus on modulations in EODf such as chirps and rises. Data analysis is currently in preliminary stages.
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