Move over, coked-up salmon. Fish dosed with psilocybin, the psychoactive component found in magic mushrooms, showed less aggression toward peers compared to their normal behavior in laboratory experiments, according to a study published on Thursday in Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience.
Key Takeaways
- The research is the first to demonstrate that psilocybin reduces aggression in any animal model, opening the door for further studies into the neural mechanisms underlying these behavioral changes.
- Mangrove rivulus fish (Kryptolebias marmoratus) are particularly intriguing due to their wide varieties of social structures and activity levels, as well as their unique adaptations such as the ability to survive out of water for months at a time and self-fertilization.
- Psilocybin had a noticeable impact on the behavior of these fish, reducing aggressive charges but not completely eliminating less overtly hostile interactions such as lateral and head-on displays meant to size up peers.
To determine how psilocybin influences behavior in mangrove rivulus fish, researchers placed two undosed fish on opposite sides of a tank with a fiberglass mesh barrier that allowed them to see and smell each other but prevented physical interactions. Then, the “focal fish” was removed and exposed to a low psilocybin dose in a separate tank for 20 minutes before being transferred back to the partitioned tank where its responses to undosed “stimulus fish” were observed.
Lead with what it means for makers and artists:
The mangrove rivulus fish, a highly aggressive species known for its unique social structures and adaptations, could provide valuable insights into the effects of psilocybin on human creativity and artistic expression. By understanding how this compound impacts their behavior, researchers may be able to shed light on potential therapeutic uses of psilocybin in treating mental health conditions or enhancing creative abilities.
Originally published at 404media.co. Curated by AI Maestro.
Stay ahead of AI. Get the most important stories delivered to your inbox — no spam, no noise.