Chronic Effects of Fluoxetine on Danio rerio: A Biochemical and Behavioral Perspective

Fluoxetine is an antidepressant widely used to treat depressive and anxiety states. Due its mode of action in the central nervous system (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI)), it becomes toxic non-target organisms, leading changes that are harmful their survival. In this work, effects fluoxetine on juvenile zebrafish (Danio rerio) were evaluated, assessing biochemical (phase II biotransformation—glutathione S-transferase (GST), neurotransmission—acetylcholinesterase (ChE), energy metabolism—lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), oxidative stress—glutathione peroxidase (GPx)) behavior endpoints (swimming behavior, social thigmotaxis) after 21 days exposure 0 (control), 0.1, 1 10 µg/L. Biochemically, although chronic did not induce significant neurotransmission metabolism, GPx activity was decreased µg/L fluoxetine. At a behavioral level, exploratory affected. However, swimming pattern exposed fish observed light dark periods (decreased locomotor activity). Overall, data show chronically may exhibit changes, affecting ability respond environmental stressors interaction with other fish.