Aripiprazole prevents stress-induced anxiety and social impairment, but impairs antipredatory behavior in zebrafish
Authors: Helo√≠sa Helena de Alcantara Barcellos
Bernardo Baldisserotto
Gessi Koakoski
Suelen Mendon√ßa-Soares
Aline Pompermaier
Karina Kirsten
Marina Fernandes
Victoria Costa Maffi
Leonardo Jos√© Gil Barcellos
Journal: Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior (2020)
Discipline: NEUROSCIENCE & BEHAVIOR
Keywords: Danio rerio; Drug residues; Environmental contamination; Prey-predator relationship; Social behavior
Affiliations: Programa de P√≥s-Gradua√ß√£o em Farmacologia, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (UFSM), Av. Roraima, 1000, Cidade Universit√°ria, Camobi, Santa Maria, RS 97105-900, Brazil; Curso de Medicina Veterin√°ria, Universidade de Passo Fundo (UPF), BR 285, S√£o Jos√©, Passo Fundo, RS 99052-900, Brazil., Programa de P√≥s-Gradua√ß√£o em Ci√™ncias Ambientais, Universidade de Passo Fundo, (UPF), BR 285, S√£o Jos√©, Passo Fundo, RS, 99052-900, Brazil; Programa de P√≥s-Gradua√ß√£o em Bioexperimenta√ß√£o, Universidade de Passo Fundo (UPF), BR 285, S√£o Jos√©, Passo Fundo, RS 99052-900, Brazil., Programa de P√≥s-Gradua√ß√£o em Farmacologia, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (UFSM), Av. Roraima, 1000, Cidade Universit√°ria, Camobi, Santa Maria, RS 97105-900, Brazil., Curso de Medicina Veterin√°ria, Universidade de Passo Fundo (UPF), BR 285, S√£o Jos√©, Passo Fundo, RS 99052-900, Brazil., Centro de Ensino M√©dio Integrado da Universidade de Passo Fundo, BR 285, S√£o Jos√©, Passo Fundo, RS 99052-900, Brazil., Curso de Medicina Veterin√°ria, Universidade de Passo Fundo (UPF), BR 285, S√£o Jos√©, Passo Fundo, RS 99052-900, Brazil; Programa de P√≥s-Gradua√ß√£o em Bioexperimenta√ß√£o, Universidade de Passo Fundo (UPF), BR 285, S√£o Jos√©, Passo Fundo, RS 99052-900, Brazil., Programa de P√≥s-Gradua√ß√£o em Farmacologia, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (UFSM), Av. Roraima, 1000, Cidade Universit√°ria, Camobi, Santa Maria, RS 97105-900, Brazil; Curso de Medicina Veterin√°ria, Universidade de Passo Fundo (UPF), BR 285, S√£o Jos√©, Passo Fundo, RS 99052-900, Brazil; Programa de P√≥s-Gradua√ß√£o em Bioexperimenta√ß√£o, Universidade de Passo Fundo (UPF), BR 285, S√£o Jos√©, Passo Fundo, RS 99052-900, Brazil. Electronic address: .

Abstract:  Environmental pollution caused by antipsychotic residues is a relevant ecological problem. Studies revealed that residues of these drugs are present in a wide range of different ecosystems and can have adverse effects on non-target organisms even in low environmental concentrations. Among these antipsychotic drugs, aripiprazole (APPZ) is a second-generation atypical antipsychotic that is a partial agonist of dopaminergic and serotoninergic receptors. APPZ is used to treat schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, autism, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and anxiety or panic disorders. Thus, in this study we posed the following question: "What will be the behavioral effects of waterborne APPZ on fish?" To answer this question, we exposed adult zebrafish to different APPZ concentrations (0.556, 5.56, and 556 ng/L) for 15 min and evaluated their exploratory, anxiety-like, social, and anti-predatory behaviors. Our results showed that, despite the apparent beneficial reversal of stress-induced social impairment and anxiety-like behavior, APPZ exposure impaired the anti-predatory reaction of adult zebrafish. Taken altogether, our results show that APPZ-exposed zebrafish may have a decreased perception of predators, even at concentrations lower than those already detected in the environment. A failure to exhibit an antipredatory response may favor the predator, decrease the fitness of the prey species, and, consequently, affect the food chain. Our results highlight the risks and consequences associated with APPZ residues in water, which may affect aquatic life and endanger species that depend on appropriate behavioral responses for survival. 

Retracted: No

PubPeer comments:
 The statement about Aripiprazole  It has been detected at an approximate concentration of 33 ng L (Yuan et al., 2013) in affluents and 5.56 ng L in effluent from water treatment plants in China (Subedi and Kannan, 2015). is misleading. The references indicate that those concentrations were detected at the affluent input before treatment of wastewater treatment plants in China and New York respectively. The effluent after wastewater treatment concentration in the plant in China was reported to be non detectable, and in the plant in New York was reported to be 3.21 ng L. , 
 Thank you very much for the information about our error. We will take care that it does not happen again. ,