Abstract
The sustainability of aquaculture is increasingly threatened by rising ocean temperatures occasioned by the continued prevalence of global warming, which can have severe consequences for fish health and productivity. Fish, as ectothermic organisms, are susceptible to temperature fluctuations and prolonged exposure to extreme temperatures can lead to physiological disruptions, including altered metabolic rates, oxidative stress, and immune suppression, ultimately affecting their growth and reproductive success. In response, several strategies, including dietary supplementation, have been proposed to alleviate temperature stress in aquaculture. One such supplement, gamma (γ)-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a non-proteinogenic amino acid, has garnered attention for its potential to enhance stress resilience in aquatic species. In this review, we examine the physiological responses of fish to temperature stress and evaluate the role of GABA in alleviating non-temperature stress. By synthesizing the available evidence, we aim to highlight the potential of GABA as a dietary supplement to improve the resilience of farmed fish to temperature fluctuations, ultimately contributing to sustainable aquaculture in the face of climate change. GABA acts as an inhibitory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system, promoting relaxation and reducing stress. We not only spotlight GABA's role in the central nervous system, where it has been shown to modulate stress responses by enhancing antioxidant defenses, improving growth performance, and boosting disease resistance, but also emphasize the limited exploration of its potential to mitigate temperature stress in some aquaculture species, particularly economically important fish like olive flounder. Finally, in this review, we provide additional insights into how GABA might help mitigate temperature stress by identifying factors that may influence its supplementation, thereby laying the groundwork for future research on its use as a potential tool for mitigating temperature stress in aquaculture species.