Skyler Deutsch, first author on Deutsch et al., 2023
The lab’s latest paper is published this week in a Special Issue of the journal Biology, “ Anesthetics and analgesics used in aquatic animals”. The study, titled “Evaluation of Candidates for Systemic Analgesia and General Anesthesia in the Emerging Model Cephalopod, Euprymna berryi” provides the first evidence that analgesic drugs from several different drug classes have effects on nociception and pain-like behavior in cephalopods. This work was led by Skyler Deutsch, who was a post-bac researcher in the lab for year, supported by an NSF REPS supplement to the lab. In addition, two of our MS students, four SFSU undergrads, one of our summer REU students, and both our research technician and postdoc, all contributed data to this important and comprehensive study.
Currently there is significant discussion about the welfare of cephalopods in research labs and aquariums, but one constant in these conversations is the lack of information about what interventions are effective for promoting and enhancing welfare for cephalopods, given their physiological and behavioral differences from vertebrate animals. With this study, we provide the first clear evidence that systemic analgesics can reduce sensitivity and pain-like behavior, and we also show that general anesthesia can be performed safely and reliably in this species.
Euprymna berryi is growing rapidly as a newly-emerging model animal in neuroscience and behavior, and we anticipate that this study will encourage and support further evaluation of welfare-promoting interventions for this and other species of cephalopods.