FEEDING-BEHAVIOR AND BRAIN ACETYLCHOLINESTERASE ACTIVITY IN BREAM (ABRAMIS-BRAMA L) AS AFFECTED BY DDVP, AN ORGANOPHOSPHORUS INSECTICIDE

1. Bream (Abramis brama) were exposed to sublethal concentration of organophosphorus insecticide DDVP and the amount of food consumed and brain acetylcholinesterase (AChE) examined in exposed fish. 2. Exposure to DDVP resulted in decreased amount of food consumed and inhibited brain AChE activity, 3. Intraperitoneal injection of the fish with cholinergic drugs, atropine and TMB-4 recovered the feeding efficiency in exposed fish. TMB4 recovered brain AChE activity as well. 4. The results revealed that cholinergic system in fish brain constitutes biochemical mechanism controlling feeding behavior in fish.