Latest news with #planaria
Yahoo
a day ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Tiny worms found in ponds and river could help treat schizophrenia
Tiny flatworms which usually live in ponds, rivers and streams could replace lab rats in the development of treatments for schizophrenia, drug addiction and other mental health disorders, after scientists discovered the worms react to certain drugs in a similar way to rodents. The worms come from a family known as planaria, with some species previously thought to be "immortal" due to their unique regenerative abilities, which includes the ability to regenerate lost body parts, including entire brains. A team of scientists at the University of Reading gave the worms haloperidol, a drug used to treat mental health conditions, and found the worms became much less active, just like mice and rats do. Previous studies have used planaria to research epilepsy treatments and to investigate drug addiction, as the flatworms exhibit signs of withdrawal symptoms. This new study could help to develop treatments for mental health conditions such as schizophrenia and hallucinations. A 2024 study reported that one in 69 UK adults are using anti-psychotic medication long-term. Professor Vitaliy Khutoryanskiy, who led the study from the University of Reading, said: "This finding adds to growing evidence that tiny flatworms like planaria could play a valuable role in how we study the brain. They display certain responses to psychiatric drugs that resemble those seen in mammals, but using them involves far fewer ethical concerns." According to UK government data, 882,000 mice and 144,060 rats were used in animal research in 2023. A 2016 study suggested the use of rats and mice in neuroscience had risen from 20 per cent in the 1980s, to over 50 per cent by the 2010s. Despite efforts to make research more ethical, scientists still rely heavily on rodents for testing. The researchers said using flatworms for studying brain conditions could potentially reduce the number of rodents used by scientists. Professor Khutoryanskiy added: "Close to a million mice and rats are used in UK research each year, but using planaria instead could potentially cut those numbers and still give us the answers we need to develop better treatments for people with serious mental health conditions. It's good for science and it's good for animal welfare." The research is published in the journal Pharmaceutical Research. Solve the daily Crossword
The Independent
2 days ago
- Health
- The Independent
How worms could be used in future mental health treatments
Scientists at the University of Reading have discovered that tiny flatworms, known as planaria, could serve as an alternative to rodents in developing treatments for mental health disorders. The research found that these worms react to psychiatric drugs, such as haloperidol, in a similar way to mice and rats, becoming less active. This breakthrough could aid in the development of new treatments for conditions like schizophrenia and hallucinations, building on previous studies using planaria for epilepsy and drug addiction research. Professor Vitaliy Khutoryanskiy, who led the study, highlighted that using flatworms involves significantly fewer ethical concerns compared to mammals. The adoption of planaria in research could potentially reduce the high number of mice and rats, close to a million annually, currently used in UK laboratories.
The Independent
2 days ago
- Health
- The Independent
Tiny worms found in ponds and river could help treat schizophrenia
Tiny flatworms which usually live in ponds, rivers and streams could replace lab rats in the development of treatments for schizophrenia, drug addiction and other mental health disorders, after scientists discovered the worms react to certain drugs in a similar way to rodents. The worms come from a family known as planaria, with some species previously thought to be "immortal" due to their unique regenerative abilities, which includes the ability to regenerate lost body parts, including entire brains. A team of scientists at the University of Reading gave the worms haloperidol, a drug used to treat mental health conditions, and found the worms became much less active, just like mice and rats do. Previous studies have used planaria to research epilepsy treatments and to investigate drug addiction, as the flatworms exhibit signs of withdrawal symptoms. This new study could help to develop treatments for mental health conditions such as schizophrenia and hallucinations. A 2024 study reported that one in 69 UK adults are using anti-psychotic medication long-term. Professor Vitaliy Khutoryanskiy, who led the study from the University of Reading, said: "This finding adds to growing evidence that tiny flatworms like planaria could play a valuable role in how we study the brain. They display certain responses to psychiatric drugs that resemble those seen in mammals, but using them involves far fewer ethical concerns." According to UK government data, 882,000 mice and 144,060 rats were used in animal research in 2023. A 2016 study suggested the use of rats and mice in neuroscience had risen from 20 per cent in the 1980s, to over 50 per cent by the 2010s. Despite efforts to make research more ethical, scientists still rely heavily on rodents for testing. The researchers said using flatworms for studying brain conditions could potentially reduce the number of rodents used by scientists. Professor Khutoryanskiy added: "Close to a million mice and rats are used in UK research each year, but using planaria instead could potentially cut those numbers and still give us the answers we need to develop better treatments for people with serious mental health conditions. It's good for science and it's good for animal welfare."
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
How flatworms could help treat schizophrenia
Tiny worms found in ponds and rivers could be instrumental in treating mental illness, a study has suggested. Research at the University of Reading has found the worms react to brain medicines in a similar way to rodents. It means they could be used in place of rats and mice, which would involve fewer ethical concerns. Prof Vitaliy Khutoryanskiy, who led the study, said the findings were good for both science and animal welfare. Range of uses Previous studies have used the worms - known as planaria - to research epilepsy treatments and to investigate drug addiction, as the flatworms exhibit signs of withdrawal symptoms. This new study, published on Friday in the journal Pharmaceutical Research, found they become less active when given haloperidol, a drug used to treat mental health conditions - just like rodents. The drug works by calming overactive brain activity in people whose minds are working too fast or in confusing ways, and scientists often test this medicine on animals to understand how it affects the brain and develop better treatments for patients. The new research suggests the worms could be used instead, which could help develop treatments for mental health conditions such as schizophrenia and hallucinations, the University said. The worms could also be used to test different ways of making medicines. The planaria research has already influenced teaching at the University of Reading, where the haloperidol effect on worms is now part of undergraduate pharmacology classes. "This finding adds to growing evidence that tiny flatworms like planaria could play a valuable role in how we study the brain," said Prof Khutoryanskiy. "Close to a million mice and rats are used in UK research each year, but using planaria instead could potentially cut those numbers and still give us the answers we need to develop better treatments for people with serious mental health conditions. " You can follow BBC Berkshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram. Related Links University of Reading Pharmaceutical Research
