2026-04-16 理化学研究所
2匹のゼブラフィッシュ間の社会的相互作用のための仮想現実システム
＜関連情報＞
- https://www.riken.jp/press/2026/20260416_2/index.html
- https://www.cell.com/iscience/fulltext/S2589-0042(26)00941-7
- https://www.cell.com/iscience/pdf/S2589-0042(26)00941-7.pdf
仮想的な社会的相互作用により、背側手綱核-IPN経路が相手を標的にするために不可欠であることが明らかになった Virtual social interaction reveals that the dorsal habenula-IPN pathway is essential for targeting the opponent
Tanvir Islam ∙ Makio Torigoe ∙ Yuki Tanimoto ∙ Ming-Yi Chou ∙ Hitoshi Okamoto
iScience Published:April 2, 2026
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2026.115566
Highlights
- A VR system for adult zebrafish is designed to investigate dyadic fish-fight.
- A novel method of electrical stimulation enhances antagonistic fish interaction.
- Transgenic fish with silenced dHbL-d/iIPN pathway show reduced use of binocular vision.
- The dHbL-d/iIPN pathway is important for forming binocular vision and target-directed posture.
Summary
Conspecific social interaction is among the most important brain functions to be investigated. We designed a virtual reality (VR) system that enables real-time teleportation of head-fixed adult zebrafish movements onto their 3D avatars. To facilitate dyadic fight-like behavior in the VR space, we devised a task in which avoidance of periodic mild electric stimulation is achieved by attacking the opponent, and a transient electric shock acts as negative feedback for bite-like events. Moreover, a transgenic fish with an impaired dorsolateral habenula-to-interpeduncular nucleus pathway, known as a winner’s circuit in social conflict, showed reduced ability in placing the opponent in the field of binocular view and attacking the opponent, while also showing increased use of the left eye. These indicate the importance of the winner’s circuit in correctly aligning the body axis for capturing the opponent. The proposed VR system can be effective in investigating how brain encodes various social interactions.
