Zebrafish (Danio rerio) Como Modelo Animal Para Doenças Neurológicas: Intersecções com o Sistema Purinérgico, Colinérgico E Na+, K+-ATPase

Abstract

The zebrafish (Danio rerio) has emerged as a biological model for studying diseases since the 80s, offering several advantages over the use of other animals. This model has been widely used to investigate neurological disorders, as it shares features of the nervous system with mammals, including the purinergic system, the cholinergic system, and the enzyme Na⁺,K⁺-ATPase. For this reason, zebrafish are employed as a model to understand neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Huntington’s disease (HD), and Parkinson’s disease (PD). The aim of this study was to systematically review the use of zebrafish as a model for studying neurological diseases and the mechanisms involved in the purinergic and cholinergic systems, as well as Na⁺,K⁺-ATPase, to highlight their contributions to understanding the molecular mechanisms associated with neuropathology’s. Additionally, the study explored how these systems influence the development, progression, and potential therapeutic approaches for human diseases. The review was conducted following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines, with adaptations to meet the project's requirements. A total of 27 articles focusing on neurological diseases linked to these systems and investigated in zebrafish were selected. The results indicated that zebrafish have been widely used to study disease progression, identify pathogenic mechanisms, and test potential treatments and drugs for human neurological diseases, such as AD, PD, and HD. These findings emphasize the animal's potential as a model in developing therapies and studying complex neurological diseases that impact society.