Myrcia sylvatica
 essential oil in the diet of gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata
 L.) attenuates the stress response induced by high stocking density

We investigated short-term effects (up to 24 h) of air exposure and confinement, and long-term effects (up to 11 days) of confinement, to elucidate signalling pathways in the stress response of gilthead sea bream Sparus aurata L. Plasma glucose and lactate were taken as indicators of sympathetic activation, and alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH), adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) and cortisol as indicators of activation of the brain-pituitary-interrenal (BPI) axis. Air exposure for 3 min resulted, within 30 min, in an increase in plasma concentrations of cortisol, alpha-MSH, glucose, lactate, osmolality and plasma Na, Cl and Mg. Plasma ACTH and beta-endorphin and plasma K, Ca and P did not change. We conclude that air exposure mainly activates the brain-sympathetic-chromaffin cell (BSC) axis. In fish confined at a density of 70 kg/m(3) (compared with 4 kg/m(3) in controls), cortisol, ACTH and alpha-MSH increased within 1 h, indicating activation of the BPI axis. Plasma glucose, Na, Cl and Mg increased with an 8 h delay compared with the response to air exposure. No changes in plasma lactate, osmolality, K, Ca and P were observed. Long-term confinement induced a biphasic cortisol response with peaks at 1 h and at 2 and 3 days. A gradual increase in plasma beta-endorphin concentrations peaked at 7 days; the concentration of alpha-MSH increased rapidly within 1 h and then declined to control values 4 days after the onset of confinement. No changes in ACTH were detected. Our data provide evidence that a stressor-specific activation of the BSC and BPI axes may occur in Sparus aurata.

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Comparison between stress response and toxicant exposure biomarkers in Gilthead sea bream, Sparus aurata L., exposed to cadmium, malathion and/or Arochlor 1254

Marine Environmental Research ◽

10.1016/s0141-1136(98)00030-0 ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 46 (1-5) ◽

pp. 122-123 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

S. Boleas ◽

G. Carbonell ◽

C. Fernández ◽

M. Carballo ◽

J.A. Ortiz ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Stress Response ◽

Sparus Aurata ◽

Gilthead Sea Bream ◽

Sea Bream ◽

Toxicant Exposure ◽

Exposure Biomarkers

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High Stocking Density and Food Deprivation Increase Brain Monoaminergic Activity in Gilthead Sea Bream (Sparus aurata)

Animals ◽

10.3390/ani11061503 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (6) ◽

pp. 1503

Author(s):

Marcos Antonio López-Patiño ◽

Arleta Krystyna Skrzynska ◽

Fatemeh Naderi ◽

Juan Miguel Mancera ◽

Jesús Manuel Míguez ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Chronic Stress ◽

Food Deprivation ◽

Sparus Aurata ◽

Stocking Density ◽

Early Response ◽

Brain Regions ◽

Gilthead Sea Bream ◽

Sea Bream ◽

Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid ◽

The Brain

In teleosts, brain monoamines (dopamine and serotonin) participate in the early response to different acute stressors. However, little is known regarding their role during chronic stress. In a 2 × 2 factorial design, the influence of a high stocking density (HSD) and/or food deprivation (FD) on the brain monoaminergic activity in gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata) was evaluated. Following a 21-day experimental design, samples from the plasma and brain regions (telencephalon, hypothalamus, and optic tectum) were collected. The dopamine (DA), serotonin (5HT), and their main metabolites, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) and 5 hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5HIAA), contents were HPLC-assessed in brain tissues, and the ratios DOPAC/DA and 5HIAA/5HT were calculated as indicators of enhanced monoaminergic activity. The plasma levels of cortisol and catecholamine were also evaluated. The cortisol levels increased in fish exposed to HSD and normally fed but, also, in all FD groups, whereas the NA levels decreased in LSD-FD animals. Within the brain, the dopaminergic and serotonergic activities in telencephalon and hypothalamus increased in fish subjected to HSD and in the telencephalon of LSD-FD fish. While DA (hypothalamus) and 5HT (telencephalon) increased in the animals submitted to a HSD, food-deprived fish did not show such an increase. Taken together, our results supported the hypothesis of brain monoaminergic activity participating in maintaining and orchestrating the endocrine response to chronic stress in fish.

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