{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,17]],"date-time":"2026-04-17T00:00:20Z","timestamp":1776384020990,"version":"3.51.2"},"reference-count":60,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,28]],"date-time":"2025-11-28T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1764288000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Behav. Neurosci."],"abstract":"<jats:p>\n                    Zebrafish (\n                    <jats:italic>Danio rerio<\/jats:italic>\n                    ) are commonly used to test the impact of pharmacological and toxicological compounds. Larval zebrafish are extensively used because of high throughput procedures allowing simultaneous behavioural measurement in 24-, 48-, or 96-well plates. Often solvents are used as a vehicle for poorly soluble or insoluble compounds, however, the impact of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), methanol, and ethanol after acute administration is not well characterized. Here we investigated the impact of 30-min exposures of DMSO, methanol, and ethanol (0.01%, 0.1%, and 1.0% vol\/vol) on 5-day old larval zebrafish locomotion and startle responses. We found no effect of DMSO on distance moved and thigmotaxis in a spontaneous swimming test, and no effect on dark-, light-, or tap-startle responses compared to controls. Methanol and ethanol, both at 1.0% increased the distance moved, and ethanol decreased the dark startle response at 1.0%. Neither ethanol nor methanol had any impact on time in thigmotaxis zone, light- or tap-startle responses. Results from this study suggest that with acute exposure to experimental compounds requiring a solvent, the least impact on behaviour would occur with DMSO, followed by methanol, then ethanol.\n                  <\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3389\/fnbeh.2025.1717998","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,28]],"date-time":"2025-11-28T06:29:28Z","timestamp":1764311368000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":2,"title":["Exploring the impact of acute solvent exposure on larval zebrafish behaviour"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"19","author":[{"given":"Ethan V.","family":"Hagen","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Matthew M. M.","family":"Harper","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Yanbo","family":"Zhang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Trevor J.","family":"Hamilton","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,28]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"169","DOI":"10.4103\/0300-1652.160349","article-title":"BAX\/BCL-2 mRNA and protein expression in human breast MCF-7 cells exposed to drug vehicles-methanol and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) for 24 hrs","volume":"56","author":"Adefolaju","year":"2015","journal-title":"Niger. Med. J."},{"key":"ref2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1241","DOI":"10.1163\/1568539X-00003020","article-title":"Zebrafish embryos and larvae in behavioural assays","volume":"149","author":"Ahmad","year":"2012","journal-title":"Behaviour"},{"key":"ref3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"924","DOI":"10.3390\/toxics12120924","article-title":"The perils of methanol exposure: insights into toxicity and clinical management","volume":"12","author":"Alrashed","year":"2024","journal-title":"Toxics"},{"key":"ref4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2203","DOI":"10.1038\/s41598-024-82353-3","article-title":"Brief exposure to (\u2212) THC affects zebrafish embryonic locomotion with effects that persist into the next generation","volume":"15","author":"Amin","year":"2025","journal-title":"Sci. Rep."},{"key":"ref5","article-title":"Methanol toxicity","volume-title":"StatPearls","author":"Ashurst","year":"2025"},{"key":"ref6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"23","DOI":"10.3390\/BIOMEDICINES7010023","article-title":"Zebrafish larvae as a behavioral model in neuropharmacology","volume":"7","author":"Basnet","year":"2019","journal-title":"Biomedicine"},{"key":"ref7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"6838","DOI":"10.3390\/ijms25136838","article-title":"Synaptic mechanisms of ethanol tolerance and neuroplasticity: insights from invertebrate models","volume":"25","author":"Bhandari","year":"2024","journal-title":"Int. J. Mol. Sci."},{"key":"ref8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2526","DOI":"10.1242\/JEB.003939","article-title":"Modulation of locomotor activity in larval zebrafish during light adaptation","volume":"210","author":"Burgess","year":"","journal-title":"J. Exp. 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Toxicol. Methods"},{"key":"ref12","volume-title":"CCAC guidelines: Zebrafish and other small, warm-water laboratory fish","year":"2020"},{"key":"ref13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"208","DOI":"10.1016\/j.bbr.2009.01.016","article-title":"High precision liquid chromatography analysis of dopaminergic and serotoninergic responses to acute alcohol exposure in zebrafish","volume":"200","author":"Chatterjee","year":"2009","journal-title":"Behav. Brain Res."},{"key":"ref14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"162","DOI":"10.1016\/J.AQUATOX.2011.01.010","article-title":"Developmental exposures to ethanol or dimethylsulfoxide at low concentrations alter locomotor activity in larval zebrafish: implications for behavioral toxicity bioassays","volume":"102","author":"Chen","year":"2011","journal-title":"Aquat. Toxicol."},{"key":"ref15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"134490","DOI":"10.1016\/J.SCITOTENV.2019.134490","article-title":"DMSO effects larval zebrafish (Danio rerio) behavior, with additive and interaction effects when combined with positive controls","volume":"709","author":"Christou","year":"2020","journal-title":"Sci. Total Environ."},{"key":"ref16","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"40","DOI":"10.1089\/154585404774101662","article-title":"Characterization and development of courtship in zebrafish, Danio rerio","volume":"1","author":"Darrow","year":"2004","journal-title":"Zebrafish"},{"key":"ref17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"253","DOI":"10.1002\/bdrb.21166","article-title":"Visualizing compound distribution during zebrafish embryo development: the effects of Lipophilicity and DMSO","volume":"104","author":"de Koning","year":"2015","journal-title":"Birth Defects Res. B Dev. Reprod. Toxicol."},{"key":"ref18","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"21402","DOI":"10.1038\/s41598-020-78573-y","article-title":"Ethanol affects behavior and HPA axis activity during development in zebrafish larvae","volume":"10","author":"Du","year":"2020","journal-title":"Sci. Rep."},{"key":"ref19","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"572175","DOI":"10.3389\/fnbeh.2020.572175","article-title":"Zebrafish shoaling, its behavioral and neurobiological mechanisms, and its alteration by embryonic alcohol exposure: a review","volume":"14","author":"Facciol","year":"2020","journal-title":"Front. Behav. Neurosci."},{"key":"ref20","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"249","DOI":"10.1007\/978-1-60761-922-2_12","article-title":"The behavioral repertoire of larval zebrafish","volume":"52","author":"Fero","year":"2011","journal-title":"NeuroMethods"},{"key":"ref21","first-page":"2975","article-title":"Zebrafish methanol exposure causes patterning defects and suppressive cell proliferation in retina","volume":"9","author":"Fu","year":"2017","journal-title":"Am. J. Transl. Res."},{"key":"ref22","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"877","DOI":"10.1007\/s00360-013-0761-4","article-title":"The skin of fish as a transport epithelium: a review","volume":"183","author":"Glover","year":"2013","journal-title":"J. Comp. Physiol. B"},{"key":"ref23","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1361","DOI":"10.1053\/J.GASTRO.2015.08.034","article-title":"Zebrafish: an important tool for liver disease research","volume":"149","author":"Goessling","year":"2015","journal-title":"Gastroenterology"},{"key":"ref9001","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e0330348","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0330348","article-title":"DMSO induces major morphological and physiological alterations in zebrafish embryos","volume":"20","author":"Gomes","year":"2025","journal-title":"PLOS ONE"},{"key":"ref24","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"13076","DOI":"10.1038\/s41598-020-69980-2","article-title":"Differential effects of ethanol on behavior and GABAA receptor expression in adult zebrafish (Danio rerio) with alternative stress coping styles","volume":"10","author":"Goodman","year":"2020","journal-title":"Sci. Rep."},{"key":"ref25","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"4389","DOI":"10.1038\/s41598-024-54676-8","article-title":"Repeated microdoses of LSD do not alter anxiety or boldness in zebrafish","volume":"14","author":"Hagen","year":"2024","journal-title":"Sci. Rep."},{"key":"ref26","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"173909","DOI":"10.1016\/J.PBB.2024.173909","article-title":"From colours to cravings: exploring conditioned colour preference to ethanol in zebrafish","volume":"246","author":"Hagen","year":"2025","journal-title":"Pharmacol. Biochem. Behav."},{"key":"ref27","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"659","DOI":"10.1016\/J.CHEMOSPHERE.2004.04.007","article-title":"Developmental toxicity and stress protein responses in zebrafish embryos after exposure to diclofenac and its solvent, DMSO","volume":"56","author":"Hallare","year":"2004","journal-title":"Chemosphere"},{"key":"ref28","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"378","DOI":"10.1016\/J.ECOENV.2005.07.006","article-title":"Comparative embryotoxicity and proteotoxicity of three carrier solvents to zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos","volume":"63","author":"Hallare","year":"2006","journal-title":"Ecotoxicol. Environ. Saf."},{"key":"ref29","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"107018","DOI":"10.1016\/J.DIB.2021.107018","article-title":"Analysis of the potential behavioral impact of methanol when used as a solvent: dataset from zebrafish (Danio rerio) behavioral research","volume":"36","author":"Hamilton","year":"2021","journal-title":"Data Brief"},{"key":"ref30","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"132","DOI":"10.1089\/ZEB.2023.0017","article-title":"Influence of methylene blue or dimethyl sulfoxide on larval zebrafish development and behavior","volume":"20","author":"Hedge","year":"2023","journal-title":"Zebrafish"},{"key":"ref31","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"804033","DOI":"10.3389\/ftox.2021.804033","article-title":"DMSO concentrations up to 1% are safe to be used in the zebrafish embryo developmental toxicity assay","volume":"3","author":"Hoyberghs","year":"2021","journal-title":"Front. Toxicol."},{"key":"ref32","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"107","DOI":"10.1016\/J.SCITOTENV.2017.09.260","article-title":"Unsuitable use of DMSO for assessing behavioral endpoints in aquatic model species","volume":"615","author":"Huang","year":"2018","journal-title":"Sci. Total Environ."},{"key":"ref33","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"256","DOI":"10.3390\/toxics10050256","article-title":"Developmental neurotoxicity and behavioral screening in larval zebrafish with a comparison to other published results","volume":"10","author":"Jarema","year":"2022","journal-title":"Toxics"},{"key":"ref34","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"115760","DOI":"10.1016\/J.BIOPHA.2023.115760","article-title":"Cannabinoid type-2 receptors modulate terpene induced anxiety-reduction in zebrafish","volume":"168","author":"Johnson","year":"2023","journal-title":"Biomed. Pharmacother."},{"key":"ref35","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"229","DOI":"10.1016\/J.AQUATOX.2013.05.022","article-title":"DMSO modifies the permeability of the zebrafish (Danio rerio) chorion-implications for the fish embryo test (FET)","author":"Kais","year":"2013","journal-title":"Aquat. Toxicol."},{"key":"ref36","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"194","DOI":"10.1016\/J.PNPBP.2012.01.003","article-title":"Effects of hallucinogenic agents mescaline and phencyclidine on zebrafish behavior and physiology","volume":"37","author":"Kyzar","year":"2012","journal-title":"Prog. Neuro-Psychopharmacol. Biol. Psychiatry"},{"key":"ref37","volume-title":"Drugs, behaviour, and modern society (Canadian edition)","author":"Levinthal","year":"2022"},{"key":"ref38","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"647","DOI":"10.1016\/J.PBB.2004.01.003","article-title":"Acute effects of alcohol on larval zebrafish: a genetic system for large-scale screening","volume":"77","author":"Lockwood","year":"2004","journal-title":"Pharmacol. Biochem. Behav."},{"key":"ref39","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"36","DOI":"10.1016\/J.PHYSBEH.2008.03.021","article-title":"Gender differences in zebrafish responses to cocaine withdrawal","volume":"95","author":"L\u00f3pez Pati\u00f1o","year":"2008","journal-title":"Physiol. Behav."},{"key":"ref40","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"42","DOI":"10.1016\/J.CONB.2020.07.006","article-title":"Learning-dependent neuronal activity across the larval zebrafish brain","volume":"67","author":"Lovett-Barron","year":"2021","journal-title":"Curr. Opin. Neurobiol."},{"key":"ref41","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"52","DOI":"10.1016\/j.neuro.2008.09.011","article-title":"Locomotion in larval zebrafish: influence of time of day, lighting and ethanol","volume":"30","author":"MacPhail","year":"2009","journal-title":"Neurotoxicology"},{"key":"ref42","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e43850","DOI":"10.1371\/JOURNAL.PONE.0043850","article-title":"Evaluation of 14 organic solvents and carriers for screening applications in zebrafish embryos and larvae","volume":"7","author":"Maes","year":"2012","journal-title":"PLoS One"},{"key":"ref43","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"318","DOI":"10.1002\/ANIE.196703181","article-title":"The solvent dimethyl sulfoxide","volume":"6","author":"Martin","year":"1967","journal-title":"Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. Engl."},{"key":"ref44","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"4589","DOI":"10.1167\/IOVS.05-0971","article-title":"Effects of ethanol on photoreceptors and visual function in developing zebrafish","volume":"47","author":"Matsui","year":"2006","journal-title":"Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci."},{"key":"ref45","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"161","DOI":"10.1093\/ILAR.53.2.161","article-title":"Zebrafish breeding in the laboratory environment","volume":"53","author":"Nasiadka","year":"2012","journal-title":"ILAR J."},{"key":"ref46","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"120","DOI":"10.1038\/s42003-025-07471-8","article-title":"Methylene blue at recommended concentrations alters metabolism in early zebrafish development","volume":"8","author":"Nipu","year":"2025","journal-title":"Commun. Biol."},{"key":"ref47","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1065573","DOI":"10.3389\/fphys.2023.1065573","article-title":"Insights into the control and consequences of breathing adjustments in fishes-from larvae to adults","volume":"14","author":"Perry","year":"2023","journal-title":"Front. Physiol."},{"key":"ref48","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"25","DOI":"10.1016\/j.toxlet.2007.08.005","article-title":"Ethanol alters acetylcholinesterase activity and gene expression in zebrafish brain","volume":"174","author":"Rico","year":"2007","journal-title":"Toxicol. Lett."},{"key":"ref49","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"489","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ntt.2006.05.001","article-title":"Methanol alters ecto-nucleotidases and acetylcholinesterase in zebrafish brain","volume":"28","author":"Rico","year":"2006","journal-title":"Neurotoxicol. Teratol."},{"key":"ref9002","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1038\/s41598-023-51072-6","article-title":"\u03b2-Carboline (FG-7142) modulates fear but not anxiety-like behaviour in zebrafish","volume":"14","author":"Scatterty","year":"2024","journal-title":"Sci. Reports"},{"key":"ref50","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"396","DOI":"10.1089\/ZEB.2014.0976","article-title":"Growth and maturation in the zebrafish, Danio Rerio: a staging tool for teaching and research","volume":"11","author":"Singleman","year":"2014","journal-title":"Zebrafish"},{"key":"ref51","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"62","DOI":"10.1111\/J.1439-0310.2006.01295.X","article-title":"The role of early learning in determining shoaling preferences based on visual cues in the zebrafish, Danio rerio","volume":"113","author":"Spence","year":"2007","journal-title":"Ethology"},{"key":"ref52","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"15","DOI":"10.1016\/J.BBR.2011.03.025","article-title":"Patterns of avoidance behaviours in the light\/dark preference test in young juvenile zebrafish: a pharmacological study","volume":"222","author":"Steenbergen","year":"2011","journal-title":"Behav. Brain Res."},{"key":"ref53","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"583","DOI":"10.20344\/amp.4628","article-title":"The importance of zebrafish in biomedical research","volume":"26","author":"Tavares","year":"2013","journal-title":"Acta Med. Port."},{"key":"ref54","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e78170","DOI":"10.7554\/ELIFE.78170","article-title":"Gill developmental program in the teleost mandibular arch","volume":"11","author":"Thiruppathy","year":"2022","journal-title":"eLife"},{"key":"ref9003","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1213","DOI":"10.1242\/dmm.012195","article-title":"Ethanol metabolism and oxidative stress are required for unfolded protein response activation and steatosis in zebrafish with alcoholic liver disease","volume":"6","author":"Tsedensodnom","year":"2013","journal-title":"DMM Dis. Models and Mechanisms"},{"key":"ref55","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1038\/s41598-019-38530-w","article-title":"Impact of post-hatching maturation on the pharmacokinetics of paracetamol in zebrafish larvae","volume":"9","author":"Van Wijk","year":"2019","journal-title":"Sci. Rep."},{"key":"ref56","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"60","DOI":"10.1089\/ZEB.2016.1287","article-title":"Comparative developmental toxicity and stress protein responses of dimethyl sulfoxide to rare minnow and zebrafish embryos\/larvae","volume":"14","author":"Xiong","year":"2017","journal-title":"Zebrafish"},{"key":"ref57","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"459","DOI":"10.1097\/ALN.0000000000002281","article-title":"High throughput screening in larval zebrafish identifies novel potent sedative-hypnotics","volume":"129","author":"Yang","year":"2018","journal-title":"Anesthesiology"}],"container-title":["Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience"],"original-title":[],"link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fnbeh.2025.1717998\/full","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,28]],"date-time":"2025-11-28T06:29:30Z","timestamp":1764311370000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fnbeh.2025.1717998\/full"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,28]]},"references-count":60,"alternative-id":["10.3389\/fnbeh.2025.1717998"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/fnbeh.2025.1717998","relation":{},"ISSN":["1662-5153"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1662-5153","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,28]]},"article-number":"1717998"}}