Résumé
We investigated the effects of an early boost of cortisol exposure inrainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) eggs during fertilisation on subsequentbehavioural responses when exposed to a sudden stimulus in larvaeand juveniles. At 55 d post-fertilisation (dpf), treatment had no effect onhigh accelerations occurring after a sudden event. At 146 dpf, these highaccelerations were more frequent in cortisol-treated fish than in controls.At 146 dpf also, swimming activity was increased in cortisol-treated fishboth before and after the sudden stimulus. This study underlines theimportant behavioural modifications in both larvae and juveniles, linkedto a change in the surrounding environment of the embryo. Indeed, fishexposed to cortisol as eggs showed a higher level of fearfulness later in life.Our findings are of major interest for stress management in an aquaculturecontext and also allow for a better understanding of the long-lastingeffects of a permanent and/or acute stress – mediated by cortisol – thatcould be encountered by females, affecting population’s life historytrajectory.