Zebrafish as a Platform for Studies on Seizures and Epilepsy

Background: In vivo studies are crucial for the identification of pathogenic cellular and molecular mechanisms. Animal models are especially relevant due to their systems' integrity and evaluation of multiple translational parameters. Objective: This review presents a general panorama of the pharmacological and genetic seizure models using this species as a platform for disease modeling and accelerated drug discovery. Method: We performed a literature review about the use of zebrafish to model seizures and epilepsy. Conclusion: The zebrafish is a prominent model organism with considerable degree of physiological and genetic conservation especially suitable for behavioral and electrophysiological investigation of seizure mechanisms. Its sensitivity to chemoconvulsant and straightforwardness in modern genetic approaches supports its competitive contribution to epilepsy research.