GABAergic anxiolytic drug in water increases migration behaviour in salmon.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 27922016.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1038/ncomms13460 and PMC identifier 5155400.
- Licence recorded as CC BY.
- The licence permits redistribution, so the abstract is shown in full and the full text is available from the publisher.
Abstract
Migration is an important life-history event in a wide range of taxa, yet many migrations are influenced by anthropogenic change. Although migration dynamics are extensively studied, the potential effects of environmental contaminants on migratory physiology are poorly understood. In this study we show that an anxiolytic drug in water can promote downward migratory behaviour of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) in both laboratory setting and in a natural river tributary. Exposing salmon smolt to a dilute concentration of a GABA<sub>A</sub> receptor agonist (oxazepam) increased migration intensity compared with untreated smolt. These results implicate that salmon migration may be affected by human-induced changes in water chemical properties, such as acidification and pharmaceutical residues in wastewater effluent, via alterations in the GABA<sub>A</sub> receptor function.
Medical subject headings
- Animal Migration
- Anti-Anxiety Agents
- Salmo salar
- Water
- gamma-Aminobutyric Acid