Serotonin modulates the electric waveform of the gymnotiform electric fish Brachyhypopomus pinnicaudatus.

The gymnotiform electric fish Brachyhypopomus pinnicaudatus communicates with a sexually dimorphic electric waveform, the electric organ discharge (EOD). Males display pronounced circadian rhythms in the amplitude and duration of their EODs. Changes in the social environment influence the magnitudes of these circadian rhythms and also produce more transient responses in the EOD waveforms. Here we show that injections of serotonin produce quick, transient, dose-dependent enhancements of the male EOD characters similar to those induced by encounters with another male. The response to serotonin administered peripherally begins 5-10 min post injection and lasts approximately 3 h. The magnitude of the response to serotonin is tightly associated with the magnitude of the day-to-night swing of the circadian rhythm prior to injection. Taken together these findings suggest that the male's social environment influences his response to serotonin by altering the function of some part of the downstream chain between the serotonin receptors and the ion channels involved in control of the EOD waveform. Although chronic activation of serotonin circuitry is widely known to elicit subordinate behavior, we find that 5-HT initially increases a dominance signal in these fish. These findings are consistent with the emerging view that serotonin facilitates different adaptive responses to acute and chronic social challenge and stress.