title: Mianserin affects alarm reaction to conspecific chemical alarm cues in Nile tilapia.
abstract: In this study, I show that mianserin, a chemical with serotonin and adrenoceptor antagonist activities, increases fish vulnerability to a potential predator threat, when prey fish must deal with this threat based on conspecific chemical alarm cues. For that, I evaluated whether mianserin, diluted in the water, influences the behavioral responses of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) to conspecific skin extract (chemical alarm cues). I found that, while mianserin did not abolished antipredator responses, this drug mitigates some components of this defensive reaction. Thus, a potential decrease in serotonin and adrenergic activities reduces the ability of dealing with predators when perceiving conspecific chemical alarm cues.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, CAUNESP, Institute of Biosciences of Botucatu, UNESP, Rubião Jr s/n, São Paulo, 18618-970, Brazil. rebarreto@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Rodrigo Egydio
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Barreto
mesh_terms: D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D023681:Cichlids / Q000502:physiology; D003463:Cues; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D008803:Mianserin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010675:Pheromones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012867:Skin / Q000737:chemistry*; D013550:Swimming
chemical_list: D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists; D010675:Pheromones; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists; D008803:Mianserin
keywords: Alarm substance; Anxiety; Chemical communication; Mianserin; Stress