Misbehaving Fish: The role of these simple vertebrates in the analysis of human brain function and dysfunction

Analysis of behaviour was the first approach with which the functioning of the brain could be studied in the distant past. The simple beginnings have led to one of the most sophisticated, fast-paced, burgeoning fields of biology research, neuroscience. Analysis of behaviour remains an integral part of neuroscience, and has led to the formation of the subfield of behavioural neuroscience. Here, I focus on this subfield, and specifically on the role of research with fish in it. I review why behavioural analysis is important for brain research and why studying this cluster of phenotypes with fish is particularly important and useful. I discuss the use of zebrafish for modeling human brain disorders including anxiety, addiction, neurodegenerative diseases and sleep disorders. I also review why extending behavioural neuroscience research to other fish species may benefit brain research. Last, I speculate about the near future, and discuss novel concepts and techniques, new directions behavioural neuroscience research with fish may take. The review is not comprehensive and reflects my own personal biases. Many of the examples are drawn from studies conducted in my own laboratory. Nevertheless, I hope that the examples I discuss will provide a reasonable snapshot of the current state-of-affairs and of the proximate future of behavioural neuroscience studies with fish, and that they will persuade the reader to use these simple vertebrates, and benefit from the reductionist approach they offer.