University of Aveiro / courtesy
Embryonic exposure to a common antidepressant can permanently alter the personality of zebrafish.
When talking about antidepressants that change routine, motivation, even personality, we are talking about people. But a new one warns that antidepressants change the personality of… fish.
More specifically, the embryonic exposure to a common antidepressant can permanently change the personality of zebrafish.
The study was led by Miguel Oliveira and Carla Melo, researchers at the Center for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM) and the Department of Biology at the University of Aveiro.
It is presented as a study pioneer which demonstrates for the first time this link between exposure to environmental levels of an antidepressant and the personality of zebrafish.
The study analyzed the effects of paroxetine, an antidepressant widely used to treat depression in humans, reads a statement.
The results show that exposure to this drug during embryonic development can modify personality traits and the way fish deal with stresswith possible impacts on survival e adaptation of the species.
And these changes don’t disappear soon: persist until the juvenile stageindicating that fundamental behaviors can be reprogrammed very early in life.
As zebrafish is a widely used model in biomedical research, these results raise new questions on the impacts of neuroactive medicines on the environment and health.
The authors warn that individual behavioral changes can have consequences for the entire population, affecting the ability of species to adapt to changing environments.
In addition to the likely ecological implications, the study also suggests possible impacts on human health, especially in sensitive periods of development.
