TITLE:
The Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor-Sertraline Diminishes Conspecific Aggression in Male Fighting Betta splendens Fish
AUTHORS:
Bogdam Feliks Kania, Danuta Wrońska
KEYWORDS:
Aggression, Fish, Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Behavioral and Brain Science,
Vol.5 No.13,
December
29,
2015
ABSTRACT: In
conspecific type of aggression the modulation of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)
plays a main role. A decrease of 5-HT in the brain intensifies this type of
aggression and in contrast, the increase of 5-HT reduces it. The aim of this
study was to examine the effects of different concentrations of sertraline HCl
on aggressive behavior of Betta splendens male fish. It was concluded that sertraline added to aquarium water in the dose
of 0.4, 4.0 and/or 100.0 μg·L-1 BW during 14 days of exposition increased
synaptic levels of 5-HT which in turn resulted in reduction of specific
aggressive behavior in the environmental concentrations (0.4 μg) and then times
higher. Sertraline caused a periodic, and sometimes even total weakening of the
male-male type fight, which was a standard trial applied in ethological
research on the Siamese fighting fish. In the current study, the most effective
one is proved to be the dose of 4.0 μg·L-1 BW (parallel to earlier investigated
fluoxetine in the same dose).