Date of Award

2012

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelors

Department

Natural Sciences

First Advisor

Beulig, Alfred

Keywords

Allopregnanolons, Fluoxetine, Avoidance-Learning

Area of Concentration

Neurobiology

Abstract

This thesis compares the cognitive and affective effects of two anxiolytic compounds in the goldfish, Carassius auratus: fluoxetine (Prozac�), an antidepressant, and allopregnanolone, a neurosteroid native to the brain of vertebrates. There is a literature review on the role of the interactions of stress, the endocrine system, and the brain in both goldfish and humans to stage the hypotheses in question, ultimately predicting a decline in cognition in fish exposed to the anxiolytics unless they are also presented with exogenous stress. The results of the scototaxic trials indicate a significant increase in exploratory behavior in only the allopregnanolone group over the control. Cortisol-treated groups exhibited greater initial avoidance behavior, but this effect diminished in latter trials, resulting in significant impairments by the final block. Those fish treated with anxiolytics and cortisol presented a similar pattern, but with only allopregnanolone+cortisol demonstrating hippocampal-dependent avoidance behavior on par with the control group by the end of the experiment. Throughout the trials, all fish treated with fluoxetine demonstrated substantial impairments, especially in tests that required the retention of a trace stimulus. In conclusion: it is apparent that fluoxetine impedes temporal cognition in goldfish, even when compensating for hypercortisolemia, and that allopregnanolone is capable of ameliorating the cognitive deficits imposed by chronic stress on the hippocampal homologue in goldfish. Additionally, the acute anxiolytic effects of allopregnanolone are likely conserved in the goldfish.

Rights

This bibliographic record is available under the Creative Commons CC0 public domain dedication. The New College of Florida, as creator of this bibliographic record, has waived all rights to it worldwide under copyright law, including all related and neighboring rights, to the extent allowed by law.

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