Title:Contributions of Zebrafish Studies to the Behavioural Consequences of
Early Alcohol Exposure: A Systematic Review
Volume: 20
Issue: 3
Author(s): Flavia Gheller Schaidhauer, Higor Arruda Caetano , Guilherme Pietro da Silva and Rosane Souza da Silva *
Affiliation:
- Laboratório de Neuroquímica e Psicofarmacologia, Escola de Ciências da Saúde e da Vida, Pontifícia Universidade
Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Pediatria e Saúde da Criança,
Escola de Medicina, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Celular e Molecular, Escola de Ciências da Saúde e da Vida, Pontifícia Universidade
Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
Keywords:
Foetal alcohol syndrome, ethanol, neurodevelopment, animal model, long-term effects, cognition, behavioural teratology.
Abstract: Background: The consequences of mild to severe exposure to alcohol during brain development
is still a matter of debate and scientific investigation. The long-term behavioural effects of ethanol
exposure have been related to impaired social skills and cognition. Zebrafish have become a suitable
animal model to investigate the effects of early ethanol exposure because it is very feasible to
promote drug delivery during early development.
Objective: The goal of the current report is to review existing behavioural studies addressing the impact
of early alcohol exposure using zebrafish to determine whether these models resemble the behavioural
effects of early alcohol exposure in humans.
Methods: A comprehensive search of biomedical databases was performed using the operation order:
“ZEBRAFISH AND BEHAV* AND (ETHANOL OR ALCOHOL)”. The eligibility of studies was determined
using the PICOS strategy, contemplating the population as zebrafish, intervention as exposure to
ethanol, comparison with a non-exposed control animal, and outcomes as behavioural parameters.
Results: The systematic search revealed 29 scientific articles as eligible. The zebrafish is presented as
a versatile animal model that is useful to study FASD short and long-term behaviour impairments, such
as anxiety, impaired sociability, aggressiveness, learning problems, memory impairment, seizure susceptibility,
sleep disorders, motivational problems, and addiction.
Conclusion: This systematic review further promotes the use of zebrafish as a model system to study
the pathophysiological and behavioural consequences of early alcohol exposure (PROSPERO
CRD42020215072).
