Thursday, February 14, 2013

Antianxiety Drugs in Rivers May Be Affecting Fish Behavior

Article:  http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/348290/description/Antianxiety_drugs_affect_fish_too

More information about the study:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/study-anti-anxiety-drug-in-water-makes-fish-hyper-aggressive-environmental-effects-feared/2013/02/14/e8b5559e-76d1-11e2-b102-948929030e64_story.html
http://www.nature.com/news/anti-anxiety-drug-found-in-rivers-makes-fish-more-aggressive-1.12434



European perch, Perca fluviatilis


A recent study conducted at Sweden's Umea University has had some interesting results.  In the study, perch spent a week in tanks containing various concentrations of the antianxiety medication oxazepam.  The drugged fish swam more, spent more time alone, ate faster, and were bolder than unmedicated fish.

These results are significant because substantial concentrations of oxazepam and similar drugs can be found in rivers, where they arrive after being digested by humans and flushed down toilets.  The behaviors affected by the drugs greatly influence a fish's chances of survival.  Bold, solitary fish may be easy targets for predators; and fast-eating fish reduce the amount of food available.

However, it is difficult to discern what effect medications will have on fish in the wild, because many drugs, not just oxazepam, are present in rivers.  Different combinations of drugs may have different effects on fish behavior.  Some may negate each other's influence; others may amplify it.

Some NOS themes found in this article:
  • Science is testable.  The researchers were able to test the effect that antianxiety medications would have on perch.
  • Science is tentative.  The researchers did not jump to conclusions about how the medications would affect fish in the wild.
  • Science is natural.  No supernatural elements were present in the experiment.

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