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Towards zebrafish models of migraine
Yubo Xiao1, Zichen Li1, Haojun Yao1
1Suzhou Municipal Key Laboratory of Neurobiology and Cell Signaling, School of Science, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou, China; Department of Biological Sciences, School of Science, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou, China.
Experimental Neurology
|January 2, 2026
Summary
Migraine, a leading cause of disability, requires better animal models. Zebrafish (Danio rerio) show promise for studying migraine pathophysiology and testing new therapies due to their utility in neuroscience research.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Neurology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Migraine is a debilitating neurological disorder affecting over 1 billion people globally, ranking second among disability causes.
- Its complex pathogenesis, risk factors, and treatment remain poorly understood, highlighting the need for effective animal models.
- While rodent models exist, exploring alternative models like zebrafish is crucial for advancing migraine research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To discuss the potential of zebrafish (Danio rerio) as a model organism for studying migraine pathophysiology.
- To evaluate the utility of zebrafish for high-throughput screening of migraine therapies.
- To critically assess the challenges and future directions for modeling migraine in zebrafish.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on zebrafish in neuroscience research.
- Analysis of zebrafish's suitability for modeling neurological disorders.
- Discussion of potential experimental approaches for migraine research in zebrafish.
Main Results:
- Zebrafish offer a complementary approach to rodent models for migraine research.
- The species' genetic tractability and optical transparency facilitate in vivo studies.
- Potential exists for high-throughput screening of migraine therapeutics in zebrafish.
Conclusions:
- Zebrafish present a developing utility for modeling migraine-like conditions.
- Further research is needed to overcome challenges in establishing robust zebrafish models for migraine.
- Zebrafish could accelerate the discovery and testing of novel migraine treatments.
