L-type calcium channels regulate decision-making process during fear learning in the zebrafish

Abstract L-type calcium channels (LTCCs), is a family of the high-voltage activated family of voltage-dependent calcium channel. In the central nervous system, LTCCs play variety of roles including dendritic development, neuronal survival, synaptic plasticity, cognition, and behaviour. However, the role of LTCCs in cognitive function such as learning and memory are controversial. LTCCs and their encoding genes (CACNA1s) are evolutionarily conserved, but the role of LTCCs in cognitive function in non-mammalian species remains obscure. Hence, in this study, we examined the effect of a LTCC agonist, (±)-Bay K8644 on fear-associated learning using the conditioned place avoidance paradigm in adult zebrafish. Intraperitoneal administration of Bay K8644 did not diminish conditioned avoidance learning, while the fish treated with Bay K8644 spend a longer duration in the non-conditioned compartment as compared to control. This suggests that LTCCs could a crucial role in the decision-making process, rather than fear consolidation or fear retrieval in zebrafish.