Feel the pain to help the squid increase its survival

A recent study in squid showed that the feeling of prolonged pain due to injury is an unpleasant thing, but plays an important role in the evolution process.

According to researcher Edgar Walter, a biologist at the University of Texas Medical Center (Houston), this study provides the first direct evidence of how animals develop highly sensitive senses that Their increased sense of pain is to adapt to natural selection and avoid predators.

During the study, Walter and colleagues observed how squid interacted with their enemies as black grouper. When they feel threatened, the ink will have a range of defenses, even if their enemies are still far away.

Photo: nairaland.com

Scientists have observed the activity of squid and grouper in a laboratory glass tank and compared how a healthy squid and an injured squid reacted to different levels of danger.

The injured squid in the beard is still capable of swimming, but this is a disadvantage because grouper will prioritize hunting the wounded from a longer distance. When feeling dangerous, the injured squid appeared to be more cautious and had more self-defense actions than the non-injured ones.

Next, the researchers numbed the injured squid, making them no longer feel pain, and these squid failed to perform defensive actions to ensure their lives. .

The feeling of pain that made the ink extremely cautious was the same feeling in humans, although the way the squid felt the pain could be different from humans. However, the squid's reaction to injury has led to a new perspective on how people react to feeling pain.

Researchers say a better understanding of the natural purpose of pain sensitivity will pave the way for the treatment of painful conditions in humans.