A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal
Contrasting Effects of Larval Escitalopram and Serotonin-Synthesis Inhibitor on Adult Phototaxis in Drosophila w1118
Authors: Krams, Indrikis; Kolbjonoks, Vadims; Popovs, Sergejs; Munkevics, Māris; Krams, Ronalds; Trakimas, Giedrius; Rantala, Markus J.; Contreras-Garduño, Jorge; Jõers, Priit; Adams, Colton B.; Krama, Tatjana
Publisher: MDPI
Publication year: 2025
Journal: Life
Article number: 1782
Volume: 15
Issue: 11
eISSN: 2075-1729
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/life15111782
Publication's open availability at the time of reporting: Open Access
Publication channel's open availability : Open Access publication channel
Web address : https://doi.org/10.3390/life15111782
Self-archived copy’s web address: https://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/505633617
Phototaxis, the movement toward or away from light, is a fundamental behavior with ecological and evolutionary relevance. In Drosophila melanogaster, phototactic choice shows individual variability and has been linked to serotonergic signaling. Using a high-throughput FlyVac assay to test single flies in parallel, we reared w1118 flies on (1) standard food (Control), (2) aMW (a serotonin-synthesis inhibitor), (3) 5-HTP (a serotonin precursor), or (4) escitalopram (a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, SSRI). Light-choice probability (LCP) did not differ between Control and aMW. LCP was lower in 5-HTP and escitalopram than in Control and aMW, and lower with escitalopram than with 5-HTP. Between-fly variability (MADn) differed across treatments: escitalopram exhibited higher dispersion than Control and aMW, whereas 5-HTP did not differ reliably from Control. These findings support the hypothesis that serotonin modulates behavioral predictability and mean choice bias; variability effects were compound-specific (escitalopram modestly increased MADn, whereas 5-HTP did not differ from Control). Given the rising costs and ethical constraints of vertebrate models, our results highlight Drosophila and FlyVac as a powerful, cost-effective system for investigating SSRI effects on decision phenotypes.
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Funding information in the publication:
This study was supported by the Latvian Council of Science (grant lzp-2024/1-0437).