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Author Soto Cabezas, Óscar |
Abstract Currently, there are many studies that report a significant increase in the consumption of antidepressant drugs worldwide. At the same time, there is also an extensive amount of bibliographic material that shows, as in an infinite number of geographical distributions, that these substances are reaching aquatic ecosystems due to the poor elimination of them in the wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and therefore becoming ever more persistent in the environment. Due to the possible threats they pose to the aquatic environment and human health, the need for studies able to assess hazardous effects of these chemicals is imperative. Bearing this in mind, the aim of this project is to determine the neurotoxic effects of sertraline, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor whose presence has been frequently detected in surface water from rivers and wastewater treatment plant effluents and has also been shown to accumulate in various organisms including fish. To this end, in this study, behavioural tests were carried out, complemented with analyses of brain biochemistry, in larval zebrafish (Danio rerio), a fish species commonly used as a research model for neurotoxicity as it shares the main neurotransmitter pathways and organisation of the nervous system with mammals. In addition, a search for the ideal parameters for the breeding and development of this species was also carried out for future studies addressing long term effect of developmental neurotoxicity. |
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Director Gómez Canela, Cristian |
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Degree IQS SE - Undergraduate Program in Biotechnology |
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Date 2021-06-20
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