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Ayahuasca Reversed Chronic Stress Markers in Zebrafish Model

MHD featured image for ayahuasca chronic-stress zebrafish cortisol and BDNF study.

A zebrafish experiment found that one 1-hour ayahuasca exposure reversed several effects of 14 days of unpredictable chronic stress: impaired sociability, anxiety-like behavior, stress-related hyperlocomotion, elevated cortisol, and reduced whole-brain BDNF.1 The result is mechanistic animal evidence, not a clinical trial of ayahuasca for human depression or anxiety. Research Highlights 14 days of chronic stress …

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Chlorpyrifos Exposure Linked to Up to 174% Higher Parkinson’s Risk

MHD featured image for chlorpyrifos exposure, Parkinson's risk, dopaminergic neurons, and autophagy dysfunction.

A human, mouse, and zebrafish study linked long-term chlorpyrifos exposure to Parkinson’s disease risk, with the strongest exposure-duration estimate reaching OR 2.74 for workplace proximity across the 1974-to-index-year window.1 The paper is stronger than a single epidemiology result because animal experiments pointed to dopaminergic neuron loss, microglial activation, pathological α-synuclein, and autophagy dysfunction. Research Highlights …

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Zembrin® (Sceletium tortuosum) for Anxiety & Depression: Testing Alkaloid-Specific Effects (2023 Study)

Sceletium tortuosum (ST) Extract, known as Zembrin®, is a traditional South African remedy was recently evaluated for its nuanced effects on anxiety and depression through a unique study using zebrafish larvae. Highlights: Zebrafish Larvae as Model Organisms: A study used zebrafish larvae to observe Zembrin®’s anxiolytic & antidepressant-like effects, offering a detailed and dynamic understanding …

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