European Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

A REVIEW ARTICLE ON “ZEBRAFISH MODELS FOR ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE”

*Aamir Khan Yousuf Khan and Aqsa Amtul

ABSTRACT

Zebrafish is emerging as a valuable model for AD research and the discovery of neurodegenerative drugs. The major genes involved in human AD have homologous counterparts in zebrafish and retain function. The basic brain structure of the zebrafish is also conserved compared to the mammalian brain. An AD model was recently established by administering okadaic acid to the zebrafish and these models have been used to test the efficacy of new drugs In this review, we gave an overview of the how the zebrafish is emerging as the valuable model to study the various aspect of the AD as these fishes possess the genes orthologous to that of the humans and these models helps us to revealed the unique characteristics that were difficult using the classical rodents models. There have been various factors that allow us to model AD in zebrafish and these factors include their high degree of resemblance in-terms of neurology (neuro-anatomy, neuro-physiology), emotional and social behavioral patterns. These models have been successfully utilized to stimulate the patho-physiology of the AD and other neuro-degenerative disease like Tuopathy. Using several different models, including zebrafish, we can leverage each one's unique characteristics to reveal the molecular basis of this disease. Because of the ease of genetic malleability in zebrafish, it is easy to model Familial type of AD in them. However, in this article we would like to emphasize the need of further research and understanding of zebrafish neurology so as to aid the modelling of Sporadic type of AD.

Keywords: Alzheimer?s disease, dementia, neuro-degeneration, zebrafish, gamma secretase, amyloid beta- protein precursor, MAPT, presenilin, neuro-fibrillary tangles, FAD, SAD, cognitive and non-cognitive, cholinergic hypothesis, A?-plagues, fronto-temporal dementia