Poster Session II
Project Type
Poster
Project Funding and Affiliations
None
Faculty Mentor’s Full Name
Allen Szalda-Petree
Faculty Mentor’s Department
Psychology
Additional Mentor
Patrick Hanni patrick.hanni@umontana.edu
Abstract / Artist's Statement
Fluoxetine, a common antidepressant, often ends up in rivers and lakes, exposing aquatic life to the drug. This study examined the effects of fluoxetine on Betta splendens (Siamese fighting fish) at levels found in the environment. Fluoxetine is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) that blocks the presynaptic reuptake transporter and increases endogenous signaling postsynaptically (Coreia, et al 2022). When Betta splendens absorb fluoxetine, it interacts with more than 90% homologous receptors in fish. This matters because it acts as a pollutant in aquatic environments, threatening fitness, reproduction, changes to their nervous system, and ultimately their behavior. When exposed to fluoxetine, freshwater fish: explored more, froze less, were less aggressive, and showed changes in social and mating behaviors. Gene activity was also altered, including genes linked to serotonin, dopamine, stress, detoxification; however, circadian rhythm of these behavioral and hormonal fluctuations has yet to be correlated with exposure levels (Prokkola & Nikinmaa, 2018). There is a lack of studies that have examined the rhythmicity of specific actions after repeated dosing. To address this gap, we examined how fluoxetine affects the frequency of distinct aggressive behaviors in male Betta Splendens (n=20) during a mirror task over twelve days of acute dosing 10µmol vs shame administration. Within this experiment, we are first investigating specific aggressive behaviors to determine if their frequency changes when exposed to fluoxetine.
Category
Social Sciences
Variations of individual behaviors of Betta splendens when exposed to Fluoxetine
UC South Ballroom
Fluoxetine, a common antidepressant, often ends up in rivers and lakes, exposing aquatic life to the drug. This study examined the effects of fluoxetine on Betta splendens (Siamese fighting fish) at levels found in the environment. Fluoxetine is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) that blocks the presynaptic reuptake transporter and increases endogenous signaling postsynaptically (Coreia, et al 2022). When Betta splendens absorb fluoxetine, it interacts with more than 90% homologous receptors in fish. This matters because it acts as a pollutant in aquatic environments, threatening fitness, reproduction, changes to their nervous system, and ultimately their behavior. When exposed to fluoxetine, freshwater fish: explored more, froze less, were less aggressive, and showed changes in social and mating behaviors. Gene activity was also altered, including genes linked to serotonin, dopamine, stress, detoxification; however, circadian rhythm of these behavioral and hormonal fluctuations has yet to be correlated with exposure levels (Prokkola & Nikinmaa, 2018). There is a lack of studies that have examined the rhythmicity of specific actions after repeated dosing. To address this gap, we examined how fluoxetine affects the frequency of distinct aggressive behaviors in male Betta Splendens (n=20) during a mirror task over twelve days of acute dosing 10µmol vs shame administration. Within this experiment, we are first investigating specific aggressive behaviors to determine if their frequency changes when exposed to fluoxetine.