Low-dose ephedrine disrupts synaptic signaling and behavior in adult zebrafish. (IMAGE)
Caption
Low-dose ephedrine disrupts synaptic signaling and behavior in adult zebrafish. Schematic overview of the experimental design, key neurotoxic mechanisms, and functional outcomes following chronic ephedrine exposure in adult zebrafish. Fish were exposed to environmentally relevant concentrations of ephedrine (0.05–20 μg L⁻¹) for 14 days, followed by brain sampling. Transcriptomic pathway analysis identified synaptogenesis signaling as the most prominently disrupted canonical pathway. Targeted metabolomic profiling revealed widespread neurotransmitter imbalance, including alterations in acetylcholine, serotonin, catecholamines, and glutamate. These molecular disruptions were accompanied by histological brain lesions and pronounced neurobehavioral abnormalities, characterized by altered locomotor activity, impaired learning and memory, and increased anxiety-like behavior. Together, the results demonstrate that chronic low-dose ephedrine exposure impairs neural integrity through combined disruption of synaptic architecture and neurotransmitter homeostasis.
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Environmental Science and Ecotechnology
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