Neural Circuits and Systems Neuroscience
Author: Valentin Agullo | Email: agullovalentin@gmail.com
Valentin Agullo1°2°, Violeta Medan1°2°
1° IFIBYNE-CONICET-UBA
2° Depto. Fisiología y Biología Molecular y Celular, Fac. de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires
The lateral habenula (LHb) is one of the few brain regions that regulates both the dopaminergic and serotonergic systems, which are fundamental for motivational, motor, and cognitive functions. The LHb plays a crucial role in encoding negative reward. Studies in humans and animal models have linked LHb dysfunction with psychiatric disorders, especially major depression.
During early development, as the nervous system matures and establishes its circuits, it is particularly sensitive to external stimuli; absence of adequate stimulation during this period can result in deficits that persist into adulthood. Specifically, social interaction during early postnatal development plays is central in establishing appropriate behaviors. Adversity during childhood, such as social isolation, represents a risk factor for various disorders, including depression.
We aim to understand the role of the habenula (Hb) in the behavioral changes induced by early social isolation in zebrafish. Here we present preliminary results of spontaneous and stimulus-evoked activity of Hb neurons of larval zebrafish. To perform in vivo calcium imaging we used transgenic zebrafish expressing GCaMP6f panneuronally (Nacre[elavl3:GCaMP6f]). Confocal images were motion-corrected (CaImAn), aligned to a brain atlas (Z-Brain) and segmented (Cellpose) to calculate fluorescence for individual neurons. Results compare spontaneous vs. stimulus evoked activity in animals which developed in a social (control) context.