MELBOURNE, April 2 (Xinhua) -- A common antidepressant found in rivers and streams worldwide is disrupting how fish learn, but only in males, a new study revealed Thursday.
The research by Australia's Monash University and the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences adds to evidence that pharmaceutical pollution is altering animal behavior in unexpected ways, a Monash University statement said.
Researchers found the antidepressant amitriptyline impairs spatial learning in male wild fish, while females remain unaffected, it said.
The team exposed wild-caught guppies to antidepressant concentrations similar to those already detected in natural waters. While all fish improved in learning tasks, pollutant-exposed males performed significantly worse, according to the study, published in Environmental Science & Technology.
Drug-exposed male guppies made up to 34 percent more errors than unexposed males when navigating a maze, losing the performance edge they typically show over females, the study showed.
Spatial learning, essential for feeding, mating and evading predators, could be disrupted by such pollutants, potentially affecting fish populations and ecosystems, said Jack Manera, lead author and PhD candidate at Monash's School of Biological Sciences. ■
