The zebrafish for preclinical psilocybin research.
Omer A. Syed, Benjamin Tsang, Robert Gerlai
Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews October 1, 2023 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105381 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Anxiety Psilocybin |
| Keywords | Affective disorders Social behavior Zebrafish Entheogens Psychedelics hallucinogens Psychoactive drugs Neuroscience brain research Neural studies Neurobiology Psychiatric conditions Behavioral health |
| Citations | 7 |
| Key findings | Zebrafish have a promising future in preclinical research on psychedelic drugs like psilocybin. |
Abstract
In this review, we discuss the possible utility of zebrafish in research on psilocybin, a psychedelic drug whose recreational use as well as possible clinical application are gaining increasing interest. First, we review behavioral tests with zebrafish, focussing on anxiety and social behavior, which have particular relevance in the context of psilocybin research. Next, we briefly consider methods of genetic manipulations with which psilocybin's phenotypical effects and underlying mechanisms may be investigated in zebrafish. We briefly review the known mechanisms of psilocybin, and also discuss what we know about its safety and toxicity profile. Last, we discuss examples of how psilocybin may be employed for testing treatment efficacy in preclinical research for affective disorders in zebrafish. We conclude that zebrafish has a promising future in preclinical research on psychedelic drugs.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on psilocybin for anxiety, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Psychedelics as anti-inflammatory agents Animal models and cellular studies | 2018 | Review | |
| Ayahuasca: Pharmacology, neuroscience and therapeutic potential | 2016 | Review | |
| Psychedelic Drugs in Biomedicine | 2017 | Review | |
| A review of emerging therapeutic potential of psychedelic drugs in the treatment of psychiatric illnesses | 2020 | Review | |
| Psychedelics and health behaviour change | 2021 | Review |
Citations in the library
Cited by 4
- High-resolution tracking of unconfined zebrafish behavior reveals stimulatory and anxiolytic effects of psilocybin Molecular Psychiatry January 17, 2024
- The effect of psychedelic microdosing on animal behavior: A review with recommendations for the field Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews May 9, 2025
- Magic mushroom and zebrafish: A new recipe? Lab Animal April 1, 2024
- The magic of mushrooms: psilocybin influences behavior in the mangrove rivulus fish, Kryptolebias marmoratus. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience 2026
Cites 72
- Psilocybin produces substantial and sustained decreases in depression and anxiety in patients with life-threatening cancer: A randomized double-blind trial Journal of Psychopharmacology November 30, 2016
- Psilocybin with psychological support for treatment-resistant depression: an open-label feasibility study. The Lancet Psychiatry May 17, 2016
- Pilot Study of Psilocybin Treatment for Anxiety in Patients With Advanced-Stage Cancer Archives of General Psychiatry September 7, 2010
- Neural correlates of the psychedelic state as determined by fMRI studies with psilocybin Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences January 23, 2012
- Human hallucinogen research: guidelines for safety. Journal of Psychopharmacology July 1, 2008
and 67 more in the library