The model is designed to overcome the shortcomings of rodent model on autism; such as time consuming, costly, tedious and sound knowledge about gestation period in rodents was required. This model has been well established for the behavioral parameters so far, still lacking in strong biological correlations. Although we are studying few genes involved in autism, but if accompanied with neuroimaging and neuromorphological analyses may give us a better idea about the effected brain parts and pathophysiology involved in disease. For which transparency of larval zebrafish and their brain is an important advantages. Also the small size of larval brain is ideal for three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction of individual brain regions and/or whole brains using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). More detailed analyses of brain structure can subsequently be conducted with simple wholemount histochemistry and widely available laser scanning microscopy. This approach enables the creation of in-depth anatomical maps of intact brain regions and the pathways that connect them, without having to section and digitally reconstruct tissue samples. Moreover, histochemical markers for labeling neurotransmitters involved in neurological disorders (i.e., serotonin and dopamine) have already been tested in zebrafish, and are commercially available. Thus neuroimaging
The model is designed to overcome the shortcomings of rodent model on autism; such as time consuming, costly, tedious and sound knowledge about gestation period in rodents was required. This model has been well established for the behavioral parameters so far, still lacking in strong biological correlations. Although we are studying few genes involved in autism, but if accompanied with neuroimaging and neuromorphological analyses may give us a better idea about the effected brain parts and pathophysiology involved in disease. For which transparency of larval zebrafish and their brain is an important advantages. Also the small size of larval brain is ideal for three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction of individual brain regions and/or whole brains using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). More detailed analyses of brain structure can subsequently be conducted with simple wholemount histochemistry and widely available laser scanning microscopy. This approach enables the creation of in-depth anatomical maps of intact brain regions and the pathways that connect them, without having to section and digitally reconstruct tissue samples. Moreover, histochemical markers for labeling neurotransmitters involved in neurological disorders (i.e., serotonin and dopamine) have already been tested in zebrafish, and are commercially available. Thus neuroimaging