3148 The Journal of Experimental Biology 216, 3148-3155 © 2013. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd doi:10.1242/jeb.083550
RESEARCH ARTICLE Aluminum exposure impacts brain plasticity and behavior in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) C. Grassie1,*, V. A. Braithwaite1, J. Nilsson2, T. O. Nilsen3,4, H.-C. Teien5, S. O. Handeland3, S. O. Stefansson4, V. Tronci3, M. Gorissen6, G. Flik6 and L. O. E. Ebbesson3 1
Department of Ecosystem Science and Management, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA, 2Institute of Marine Research, PO Box 1870 Nordnes, N-5817 Bergen, Norway, 3Uni Research AS, N-5006 Bergen, Norway, 4Department of Biology, University of Bergen, PO Box 7800, N-5020 Bergen, Norway, 5Norwegian University of Life Science, Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Box 5003, 1432 Ås, Norway and 6Department of Animal Physiology, Institute for Water and Wetland Research, Radboud University Nijmegen, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ Nijmegen, The Netherlands *Author for correspondence (
[email protected])
SUMMARY Aluminum (Al) toxicity occurs frequently in natural aquatic ecosystems as a result of acid deposition and natural weathering processes. Detrimental effects of Al toxicity on aquatic organisms are well known and can have consequences for survival. Fish exposed to Al in low pH waters will experience physiological and neuroendocrine changes that disrupt homeostasis and alter behavior. To investigate the effects of Al exposure on both the brain and behavior, Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) kept in water treated with Al (pH5.7, 0.37±0.04μmol1−1 Al) for 2weeks were compared with fish kept in under control conditions (pH6.7,
