Understanding the Impact of SSRIs on Avoidance Behaviors of C. elegans

Flavin, Emily

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Understanding the Impact of SSRIs on Avoidance Behaviors of C. elegans Public

Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) have been a commonly prescribed treatment for mood disorders their introduction in 1987. However, little research shows that we fully understand how these drugs work biochemically and how they affect downstream communication within the nervous system. Using C. elegans as a model organism, the impacts of SSRIs can be measured through communication and avoidance behaviors and the results can be applied to humans. Experiments using sertraline hydrochloride showed that SSRIs inhibited avoidance behaviors which can reduce survivability. This can be related to the side effects that long-term use of SSRIs have on humans.

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