Kohler Shanelle A, Parker Matthew O, Ford Alex T
Institute of Marine Science Laboratories, Ferry Road, Eastney, Hants PO4 9LY, UK.
School of Pharmacy & Biomedical Science, White Swan Road, St. Michael's Building, Portsmouth PO1 2DT, UK.
Toxics. 2021 Mar 17;9(3):64. doi: 10.3390/toxics9030064.
Animal behaviour is becoming increasingly popular as an endpoint in ecotoxicology due to its increased sensitivity and speed compared to traditional endpoints. However, the widespread use of animal behaviours in environmental risk assessment is currently hindered by a lack of optimisation and standardisation of behavioural assays for model species. In this study, assays to assess swimming speed were developed for a model crustacean species, the brine shrimp . Preliminary works were performed to determine optimal arena size for this species, and weather lux used in the experiments had an impact on the animals phototactic response. Swimming speed was significantly lower in the smallest arena, whilst no difference was observed between the two larger arenas, suggesting that the small arena was limiting swimming ability. No significant difference was observed in attraction to light between high and low light intensities. Arena size had a significant impact on phototaxis behaviours. Large arenas resulted in animals spending more time in the light side of the arena compared to medium and small, irrespective of light intensity. The swimming speed assay was then used to expose specimens to a range of psychotropic compounds with varying modes of action. Results indicate that swimming speed provides a valid measure of the impacts of behaviour modulating compounds on . The psychotropic compounds tested varied in their impacts on animal behaviour. Fluoxetine resulted in increased swimming speed as has been found in other crustacean species, whilst oxazepam, venlafaxine and amitriptyline had no significant impacts on the behaviours measured. The results from this study suggest a simple, fast, high throughput assay for and gains insight on the impacts of a range of psychotropic compounds on the swimming behaviours of a model crustacean species used in ecotoxicology studies.
由于与传统终点指标相比，动物行为具有更高的敏感性和更快的速度，因此在生态毒理学中作为终点指标越来越受欢迎。然而，目前动物行为在环境风险评估中的广泛应用受到模型物种行为分析缺乏优化和标准化的阻碍。在本研究中，针对一种典型甲壳类动物卤虫，开发了评估游泳速度的分析方法。进行了初步工作以确定该物种的最佳实验场大小，以及实验中使用的光照是否会对动物的趋光反应产生影响。在最小的实验场中，游泳速度显著较低，而在两个较大的实验场之间未观察到差异，这表明小实验场限制了游泳能力。在高光和低光强度下，对光的吸引力没有显著差异。实验场大小对趋光行为有显著影响。无论光照强度如何，与中、小实验场相比，大实验场中的动物在实验场光照一侧停留的时间更长。然后使用游泳速度分析方法，将标本暴露于一系列具有不同作用方式的精神药物化合物中。结果表明，游泳速度为行为调节化合物对……的影响提供了一个有效的衡量指标。所测试的精神药物化合物对动物行为的影响各不相同。正如在其他甲壳类物种中所发现的那样，氟西汀导致游泳速度增加，而奥沙西泮、文拉法辛和阿米替林对所测量的行为没有显著影响。本研究结果表明了一种简单、快速、高通量的分析方法，用于……，并深入了解了一系列精神药物化合物对生态毒理学研究中使用的典型甲壳类物种游泳行为的影响。
