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Updated: Apr 26, 2026

Behavioral Approaches to Studying Innate Stress in Zebrafish
Published on: May 1, 2019
Agrichemicals chronically inhibit the cortisol response to stress in fish
Gessi Koakoski1, Rosmari Mezzalira Quevedo2, Daiane Ferreira1
1Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (UFSM), Programa de Pós-Graduação em Farmacologia, Campus Universitário, Camobi, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil.
Abstract:
We studied the stress response of Rhamdia quelen fingerlings at 45, 90, 135 and 180 d following acute exposure to agrichemicals. Herein, we report the novel observation that acute exposure of fingerling-aged fish to a methyl parathion-based insecticide (MPBI) and to a tebuconazole-based fungicide (TBF) induced chronic inhibition of the stress response. In contrast, fish exposed to an atrazine-simazine-based herbicide (ASBH) recovered the stress response on day 45, and fish exposed to a glyphosate-based herbicide (GBH) did not present stress response inhibition. Additionally, fish exposed to MPBI, GBH and ASBH showed lower survival rates and attained lower final weights. In the case of TBF, the presence of the stressful stimulus more strongly influenced the changes in the performance parameters than did the agrichemical exposure itself. An impairment of the cortisol response may seriously hamper the adaptive response and the ability to promote the necessary metabolic and ionic adjustments to respond to environmental stress.
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