Effects of carbamazepine to visual function in early life stage fish

Jason Tyler Magnuson; Holly J. Puglis; Jessica K. Leet; Adam H. Moody; Célio Freire Mariz Jr.; Thea M. Edwards; Daniela M. Pampanin

doi:10.1016/j.envres.2026.123862

Effects of carbamazepine to visual function in early life stage fish

Environmental Research

By: Jason Tyler Magnuson, Holly J. Puglis, Jessica K. Leet, Adam H. Moody, Célio Freire Mariz Jr., Thea M. Edwards, and Daniela M. Pampanin

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2026.123862

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Abstract

The frequent detection of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) in the environment raises concern for aquatic systems. Carbamazepine (CBZ), an antiepileptic drug, is among the most detected PPCP globally, with concentrations in surface water exceeding those that induce toxicity to aquatic organisms. Non-targeted transcriptomic profiling was conducted in zebrafish (Danio rerio) larvae exposed to 0, 1, 5, 10, or 50 μg/L CBZ from 2 h post fertilization (hpf) through hatching, and then sampled at 48, 72, or 144 hpf. Transcriptomic profiles were annotated and characterized with in silico bioinformatic software to assess top enriched pathways and identify targets of environmentally relevant concentrations of CBZ and anchor molecular effects to higher levels of biological organization. Based on this analysis, CBZ was predicted to impair visual perception and sensory system development. The number of eye saccades, determined with a visually mediated behavioral assay, optokinetic response, was significantly reduced in 144 hpf larvae exposed to concentrations as low as 1 μg/L CBZ. These results indicate that environmentally relevant concentrations of CBZ may target and impact processes involved in visual function in fish.

Suggested Citation

Magnuson, J.T., Puglis, H.J., Leet, J., Moody, A.H., Mariz, C.F., Edwards, T.M., and Pampanin, D.M., 2026, Effects of carbamazepine to visual function in early life stage fish: Environmental Research, v. 294, 123862, 8 p., https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2026.123862.

Additional publication details
Publication type	Article
Publication Subtype	Journal Article
Title	Effects of carbamazepine to visual function in early life stage fish
Series title	Environmental Research
DOI	10.1016/j.envres.2026.123862
Volume	294
Publication Date	January 29, 2026
Year Published	2026
Language	English
Publisher	Elsevier
Contributing office(s)	Columbia Environmental Research Center
Description	123862, 8 p.