Behavioral changes over time following ayahuasca exposure in zebrafish
LA Referencia (Red Federada de Repositorios Institucionales de Publicaciones Científicas) July 28, 2017 Robson Savoldi, Daniel Polari, Jaquelinne Pinheiro Da Silva et al.
Ayahuasca, a traditional Amazonian infusion made from Banisteriopsis caapi stem and Psychotria viridis leaves, contains N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) and monoamine oxidase inhibitors. In adult zebrafish exposed to five concentrations (0, 0.1, 0.5, 1, and 3 ml/L, with 14 fish per group), swimming speed and distance traveled decreased with higher concentrations, while freezing and bottom dwelling increased at 1 and 3 ml/L. At 0.1 ml/L, bottom dwelling declined, suggesting reduced anxiety-like behavior. Low doses did not affect locomotion and appeared anxiolytic, whereas higher doses produced anxiogenic effects. Temporal behavioral analysis in zebrafish offers a sensitive method for studying ayahuasca-induced brain changes.