Prawns on Prozac: Are antidepressants causing neurological disruption to our wildlife? Event

Event details

For several decades scientists have tried to determine the effects and impacts of pharmaceuticals in wastewater effluent on aquatic life. This work primarily focused on synthetic estrogens like those found in the contraceptive pill and their role in feminized and intersex fish. With more than 1 in 10 people being prescribed antidepressants in some countries, the focus has more recently turned to drugs that are used to treat depression, anxiety and anti-psychotics. Studies thus far have reported a wide range of behavioural alterations including activity, aggression, habitat selection and feeding. This talk highlights some of recent research into the effects of antidepressants such as Prozac on gene expression and neurobiology in non-target invertebrates and will provide an opportunity to highlight some unusual ways the communication of science (#scicomm) can be interpreted amongst the media and general public.