Exposure to the SSRI Fluoxetine and its Effect on Learning and Memory in Adult Zebrafish
Access Type
Open Access
Entry Number
74
Start Date
4-5-2017 1:15 PM
End Date
4-5-2017 1:30 PM
Department
Biomedical Science
Abstract
Since the beginnings of neurochemical research in the 1960s, the neurotransmitter serotonin has proved itself as an integral chemical in the maintenance of healthy brain chemistry. Serotonin’s activity has been linked to mood, sexual desire and function, appetite, sleep, memory and learning, temperature regulation, and some social behavior. That being said, imbalances in the chemical can lead to several mental health disorders, including depression and anxiety. These disorders are often treated with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which block the reuptake of serotonin by the terminal buttons, allowing for the chemical to have a prolonged stay in the synapse. One of the most commonly prescribed SSRI medications for depression is fluoxetine, the generic prescription for Prozac. Effects on learning and memory are outside of fluoxetine’s known side effects, thus this study aimed to investigate the medicine’s impact on both learning and memory. Using adult Zebrafish exposed to varying levels (0μg/L, 50μg/L, 100μg/L, and 200μg/L) of waterborne fluoxetine, learning and memory was assessed with a T-maze procedure after one and then two weeks of exposure to the drug.
Faculty Mentor(s)
Dr. Keith Corodimas
Rights Statement
The right to download or print any portion of this material is granted by the copyright owner only for personal or educational use. The author/creator retains all proprietary rights, including copyright ownership. Any editing, other reproduction or other use of this material by any means requires the express written permission of the copyright owner. Except as provided above, or for any other use that is allowed by fair use (Title 17, §107 U.S.C.), you may not reproduce, republish, post, transmit or distribute any material from this web site in any physical or digital form without the permission of the copyright owner of the material.
Exposure to the SSRI Fluoxetine and its Effect on Learning and Memory in Adult Zebrafish
Since the beginnings of neurochemical research in the 1960s, the neurotransmitter serotonin has proved itself as an integral chemical in the maintenance of healthy brain chemistry. Serotonin’s activity has been linked to mood, sexual desire and function, appetite, sleep, memory and learning, temperature regulation, and some social behavior. That being said, imbalances in the chemical can lead to several mental health disorders, including depression and anxiety. These disorders are often treated with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which block the reuptake of serotonin by the terminal buttons, allowing for the chemical to have a prolonged stay in the synapse. One of the most commonly prescribed SSRI medications for depression is fluoxetine, the generic prescription for Prozac. Effects on learning and memory are outside of fluoxetine’s known side effects, thus this study aimed to investigate the medicine’s impact on both learning and memory. Using adult Zebrafish exposed to varying levels (0μg/L, 50μg/L, 100μg/L, and 200μg/L) of waterborne fluoxetine, learning and memory was assessed with a T-maze procedure after one and then two weeks of exposure to the drug.