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A comment on AlphaFold Found Possible Psychedelics. Parent comment

Re:AlphaFold Found Possible Psychedelics by SamBam on Friday January 19, 2024 @08:29AM (#39055129)
Indeed, it's a reasonable argument that fungi evolved these molecules specifically to affect animal's brains. After all, we can see specific behaviors that help spores spread, like the zombie ants.

I think marijuana or poppies have less plausible explanations for how they would have evolved specifically to mess with animal's minds.

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Re:AlphaFold Found Possible Psychedelics by hollerith on Friday January 19, 2024 @08:37AM (#39055225)
THC and opiates in poppies basically are animal neurotransmitters, so I disagree. Their original function was probably to discourage animals from eating the plant. Animals seems to have a reflex by which any drastic changes to brain function induce vomiting of and aversion to any food the animal just ate.
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