Effects of antidepressants in the reproduction of aquatic organisms: a meta-analysis

Pharmaceuticals are widespread contaminants across the aquatic systems with adverse biological effects linked to exposure. This study aimed to provide quantitative insight on the effects of antidepressants on the reproduction of fish and crustaceans. Given effect size dependency, a multilevel meta-analysis aproach was used. A systematic literature search identified 19 studies investigating effects of antidepressant exposure in fish or crustaceans’ reproduction, according to specific selection criteria. Heterogeneity analysis was performed and the moderating effect of the range of exposure concentrations, exposure time, organism group and toxicant was tested. Additionally, publication bias was also addressed. The results showed that, overall, there is no significant association between antidepressant exposure and the reproduction of fish and crustaceans, however, moderator analysis revealed that the range of concentrations is a significant moderator for fish and crustacean fecundity, showing contrary results between the two groups. Antidepressants have shown effects on reproductive outcomes in aquatic organisms, based on individual studies and narrative reviews. However, our results showed that other factors can have an important role.