Zebrafish sleep displays distinct sub-states.

ABSTRACT: Sleep is an essential and evolutionarily-conserved behavior. While mammals and several other species have been shown to exhibit well-defined sleep sub-states, some of which have been ascribed specific functions, it remains unclear to what extent such differentiation exists across the animal kingdom. Here we show, using long-term behavioral data combined with Hidden Markov Modeling, that larval zebrafish display distinct deep and light sleep sub-states. Although both states occur primarily at night, fish respond differently to sleep deprivation and arousing stimuli depending on which sleep sub-state they are in. Moreover, the proportions of deep and light sleep are selectively altered by genetic and pharmacological manipulations of melatonin, serotonin, and norepinephrine signaling, offerin

SUBMITTER: Tripathi R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12424785 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature