Behavioral alterations produced by exposure to the antidepressant fluoxetine in two fish species of the family Poeciliidae

KOLESNIK M.; LO NOSTRO F.; MEIJIDE F.

Montevideo

Congreso; 15th SETAC Latinamerica Biennal Meeting; 2023

SETAC LATINOAMERICA

Chemical pollution from pharmaceuticals is increasingly recognized as a major threat for aquatic wildlife. Among the wide variety of pharmaceuticals, fluoxetine (FLX) is one of the most widely prescribed antidepressants, often detected in aquatic systems that receive sewage and pharmaceutical effluents. Since FLX is designed to modulate human behavior and its action pathways are conserved in vertebrates, this compound could affect the behavior of non-target species such as fishes. In this regard, behavior is an ecologically relevant indicator of exposure to neuroactive compounds as it can directly affect the fitness and survival of organisms. In turn, behavioral biomarkers are gaining increasing interest as an early warning system in ecotoxicological studies.