International Journal of Comparative Psychology

The purpose and function of sleep has been the topic of discussion for several centuries.  Though our understanding of the mechanisms underlying the propagation and maintenance of rest states has undergone significant improvement, much remains to be learned with regards to the effects of disrupted sleep on diseased states.  A deeper understanding of the neural circuitry and associated phenotypes would allow for the identification of sleep-related pathologies as well as the development of therapies for individuals with sleep disorders. To this end, the zebrafish ( danio rerio ) pose a great advantage.  In the adult animal, sleep is largely consolidated to dark phases.  Sleep may be disrupted via environmental, pharmacological or genetic manipulations.  Disrupted sleep rhythms in the adult animal are linked to changes in gene and protein expression, while behavioral measures of anxiety have produced mixed results. We propose that this variation is a result of the type of sleep disruption as well as the type of anxiety test employed.  This beckons the need for further study of the effects of environmental and pharmacological manipulations on the sleep rhythms of the animal.  Further, researchers must not rely solely on one test as a measure of stress or anxiety as it provides only a one-dimensional insight.