Ecstasy makes octopuses more social and tactile: study

Octopuses are very mysterious and complex creatures, but how are they really different from humans? According to a new study, with respect to social behaviors in response to ecstasy, octopuses are not so different from humans after all.

Difference of 500 million years

Humans and octopuses are 500 million years apart on the evolutionary tree and the octopus brains are much closer to snails than humans, but what is the difference between the two species? In a new study, evidence shows genomic links between octopuses and humans regarding social behaviors in response to methylendioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) or more commonly known as ecstasy, a popular mood-enhancing drug.

Researchers Eric Edsinger, Ph.D. and Gül Dölen, MD, Ph.D. took a closer look at the genomic sequence of the two-point octopus in California and discovered that they and humans had almost identical genomic codes for the transporter that binds serotonin, a mood regulator, to the neuron's membrane. In this case, it is also the carrier where ecstasy binds to brain cells and alters mood.

Octopuses on the ecstasy

In humans and other vertebrates, ecstasy tends to produce prosocial behavior, and the authors of the study conducted an experiment to determine if octopus were also susceptible to the same effects given the discovery of their code. genomics.

Four male and female octopus were placed in a tank containing a liquefied liquid extract version, and then transferred individually to three-chamber tanks. One of the tanks was empty, another contained a plastic figure likely to attract the attention of the octopus, while another contained a high octopus in the laboratory, male or female, under a cage.

Octopuses are generally non-social creatures that tend to avoid or avoid other creatures, including other octopuses, unless it's the mating season. However, under the influence of ecstasy, the researchers note that the four octopuses spent several more minutes in the chamber with the octopus compared to the other two, and even observed narrow and non-aggressive exploratory behaviors which are generally only observed during the mating season.

Model for brain research?

"It's not only quantitative, but qualitative. They tended to hug the cage and put their mouths in the cage. This is very similar to how humans react to MDMA; they touch each other frequently, "said Dölen.

That said, the researchers note that the results are still preliminary given the small size of the sample, and that additional research is needed before the octopus can serve as a model for research on the brain.

The research is published in Current Biology.

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