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Microplastic ingestion affects the lateralised processing of predator stimuli in fish

Journal of Fish Biology 2025 1 citation ? Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count. Score: 53 ? 0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.

Annalaura Mancia, Georgiana Andrei, Annalaura Mancia, Georgiana Andrei, Annalaura Mancia, Tyrone Lucon‐Xiccato Marco Scoponi, Marco Scoponi, Marco Scoponi, Marco Scoponi, Marco Scoponi, A. Colombani, Luigi Abelli, Marco Scoponi, Marco Scoponi, Annalaura Mancia, A. Colombani, Luigi Abelli, Annalaura Mancia, Annalaura Mancia, Annalaura Mancia, Marco Scoponi, Marco Scoponi, Georgiana Andrei, Marco Scoponi, Marco Scoponi, Marco Scoponi, Luigi Abelli, Luigi Abelli, Luigi Abelli, Annalaura Mancia, Elia Gatto, Georgiana Andrei, Marco Scoponi, Marco Scoponi, Marco Scoponi, Marco Scoponi, Cristiano Bertolucci, Marco Scoponi, Marco Scoponi, Luigi Abelli, Marco Scoponi, Luigi Abelli, Tyrone Lucon‐Xiccato Marco Scoponi, Luigi Abelli, Cristiano Bertolucci, Annalaura Mancia, Luigi Abelli, Annalaura Mancia, Cristiano Bertolucci, Tyrone Lucon‐Xiccato Cristiano Bertolucci, Tyrone Lucon‐Xiccato

Summary

Researchers fed zebrafish food containing polyethylene or biodegradable microplastics for 20 days and tested their brain lateralization, which reflects how information processing is divided between brain hemispheres. While standard rotation and mirror tests showed no changes, the fish displayed disrupted lateralization when confronted with a predator model. The study suggests that microplastic ingestion can impair specific cognitive responses in fish, particularly those related to predator avoidance.

Polymers

Body Systems

Nervous

Models

Zebrafish

Microplastic ingestion affects fish brains at the molecular level, but its impact on cognitive phenotype remains unclear. We fed zebrafish (Danio rerio) food containing either polyethylene or poly(butylene-adipate-co-terephthalate) microplastics for 20 days and assessed their lateralisation, which reflects how information processing is split between brain hemispheres. No changes appeared in rotational or mirror tests, but lateralisation was disrupted in the detour test when facing a predator model. These results suggest microplastic ingestion can impair specific cognitive traits at the phenotypic level.

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