The Effects of Antidepressants on Freshwater Fish

Maddison Steinberge
ms8118@ship.edu
Faculty sponsor: Dr. Thomas Frielle
College of Arts and Sciences
Chemistry and Biochemistry

When Antidepressant drugs, also known as SSRIs, are introduced into freshwater environments, it affects fish by increasing in concentration inside their tissue. When SSRIs increase in concentration, it inhibits SERT (Serotonin Reuptake Transporter). This causes freshwater fish to become more aggressive, change their feeding behavior, and affects their reproduction.