Using the optokinetic response to study visual function of zebrafish
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Updated: Jun 16, 2026
Using the optokinetic response to study visual function of zebrafish
Published on: February 2, 2010
Su-Qi Zou1, Wu Yin, Ming-Jing Zhang
1Laboratory of Neurodevelopment and Repair, Department of Neurobiology and Biophysics, School of Life, University of Science and Technology of China, China.
Abstract:
Optokinetic response (OKR) is a behavior that an animal vibrates its eyes to follow a rotating grating around it. It has been widely used to assess the visual functions of larval zebrafish. Nevertheless, the standard protocol for larval fish is not yet readily applicable in adult zebrafish. Here, we introduce how to measure the OKR of adult zebrafish with our simple custom-built apparatus using a new protocol which is established in our lab. Both our apparatus and step-by-step procedure of OKR in adult zebrafish are illustrated in this video. In addition, the measurements of the larval OKR, as well as the optomotor response (OMR) test of adult zebrafish, are also demonstrated in this video. This OKR assay of adult zebrafish in our experiment may last for up to 4 hours. Such OKR test applied in adult fish will benefit to visual function investigation more efficiently when the adult fish vision system is manipulated.
