Towards Modeling Anhedonia and Its Treatment in Zebrafish

Mood disorders, especially depression, are a major cause of human disability. The loss of pleasure (anhedonia) is a common, severely debilitating symptom of clinical depression. Experimental animal models are widely used to better understand depression pathogenesis and to develop novel antidepressant therapies. In rodents, various experimental models of anhedonia have already been developed and extensively validated. Complementing rodent studies, the zebrafish (Danio rerio) is emerging as a powerful model organism to assess pathobiological mechanisms of affective disorders, including depression. Here, we critically discuss the potential of zebrafish for modeling anhedonia and studying its molecular mechanisms and translational implications.

Automated summary

Mood disorders, particularly depression, are a leading cause of disability in humans. Anhedonia, the loss of pleasure, is a common and severe symptom of clinical depression. Experimental animal models are used extensively to understand the mechanisms of depression and develop new treatments, with rodents being widely validated. Zebrafish, as a model organism, is emerging as a powerful tool for studying affective disorders and modeling anhedonia, offering potential for translational research.