The selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor sertraline causes ocular toxicity in larvae of zebrafish (

Introduction: Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are currently the highest prescribed class of antidepressants and are frequently detected in aquatic ecosystems. They act by increasing synaptic concentrations of serotonin, a neurotransmitter which is also involved in neuronal development. A knowledge gap remains regarding the effects of SSRIs on visual function, a process heavily relying on the neuronal system. Methods: To close this knowledge gap, zebrafish ( Results: Visual function was affected after exposure to 100 and 1000 µg/L of SER, while retinal structure was significantly affected after exposure to 1000 µg/L of SER. To study the molecular processes behind these effects, gene expression was assessed, pointing out dysregulation of multiple opsin genes, as well as genes involved in retinoic acid metabolism and eye development, namely Discussion: The present study points out the ability of SER to cause adverse effects to visual function, a key process for early life stage fish survival. However, these effects were detected at exposure concentrations exceeding the environmental one, thus not representing an environmental threat.