Social anxiety response to acute nerolidol exposure in Zebrafish

Abstract

The impacts of cannabis and its constituents on mental health symptoms such as anxiety remain understudied. Of the cannabis compounds, the most well-studied are delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), associated with the psychoactive effect of cannabis, and cannabidiol (CBD). However, the cannabis plant contains nearly 400 chemical compounds spanning various classes (Levinthal & Hamilton, 2021). One of these classes is terpenes: the compounds responsible for the scents associated with cannabis and all other plants (Cox-Georgian et al., 2019).

Zebrafish (Danio rerio) represent an ideal model organism to investigate the impacts of these compounds as they share an evolutionarily conserved endocannabinoid system (ECS) and nearly 80% gene homology with humans (Horzmann & Freeman, 2016). Furthermore, they are able to be tested with high throughput efficiency. The current study investigates the impacts of nerolidol on anxiety-like behaviours in Zebrafish through the use of a well-validated measure of zebrafish behaviour, the shoaling test (In press in Scientific Reports). Fish were tested in groups of four and either received a low dose (375ug/L), high dose (750 ug/L), or no dose for the trial condition. Results indicate that nerolidol does not significantly impact zebrafish motility or anxiety-like behaviours.

Faculty Mentor: Dr. Melike Schalomon