Latent effects of early-life methylmercury exposure on motor function in Drosophila

Perspectives on the Drosophila melanogaster Model for Advances in Toxicological Science

“…Low‐dose exposures at the larval stage can be accounted for by whole‐body measurements of the toxicant in the pupae. Where the dose does not affect the pupal‐adult transition, later‐life onset of decline in activity, motor function, and shortening of lifespan, among several other neurologic behaviors, can be readily assayed in the adult well after the toxicant has left the system (Peppriell et al., 2021).…”

“…Behavioral assays for toxicity in larvae include crawling speed, chemotaxis, phototaxis, and avoidance behavior (Aleman‐Meza et al., 2015; Gerber & Stocker, 2007; Gerber et al., 2009). Tests of adult fly behaviors are continually being developed to assess complex behaviors (Moulin et al., 2021) for toxicity testing including locomotor activity, climbing, flight, and longevity, all of which are quantifiable (Gunderson et al., 2021; Peppriell et al., 2021). More elaborate behaviors such as mating and fecundity (Tiwari et al., 2011), food choice (El Kholy & Al Naggar, 2023), and even associative learning and memory (Zamberlan et al., 2020) are available to assess toxicity.…”