Dolphins are pretty amazing creatures, to put it simply. In Douglas Adams’ The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, the dolphins knew of the Earth’s impending doom well before people did (“So long, and thanks for all the fish!”). In addition to their extraordinary cognitive abilities, they have highly developed and extremely interesting social skills (such as killing for pleasure).

Speaking of killing, let’s discuss sharks. Contrary to popular belief, sharks are only dangerous if you give them reason to be. During the course of my summer internship, I’ve seen many sharks, from toothless dogfish to five foot long juvenile tiger sharks. All have been docile; they tend not to try to attack unless you poke them hard enough (in an out of water case). But, say you happened to be standing in front of the aforementioned tiger shark’s mouth and poked it, and it flailed and bit your leg. You’d probably scream in pain, bleed, and need to see a doctor right away.

Now consider an in water encounter between a dolphin and a shark. The dolphin could just be swimming normally and pass a shark. The shark could misinterpret the dolphin swimming nearby as a threat, and attack, leaving a 3 centimeter deep, 30 centimeter long, 10 centimeter wide wound. Not only would the dolphin not feel pain from this, but it would continue feeding, swimming, and behaving normally! Even more amazingly, the wound would heal over time with little scarring or changes in overall contour!

Wound healing over time in a bottlenose dolphin

Wound healing over time in a bottlenose dolphin

A recent study by Zasloff investigated the remarkable healing process in bottlenose dolphins. Though little is known about the pain reflexes in dolphins, it has been shown that they will withdraw when pricked. In response to long lasting wounds caused by shark attacks, dolphins have been observed to exhibit normal swimming and feeding behaviors in as little as two days after the attack. They do not seem protective of their wounds in the slightest either. What is it about the dolphin’s pain circuits allows them to seemingly ignore serious wounds?

The biological and biochemical healing process is likely due to special adaptations resulting from a marine lifestyle. Dolphin wounds may be less likely to bleed due to a diving reflex adaptation. When diving, dolphins divert their blood supply to their inner vital organs, allowing them to spend longer periods of time underwater. This reflex might also come into effect after sustaining a traumatic wound. However, what makes the process truly remarkable is that it mimics the process of regeneration. Just like a starfish can regrow an arm, this process allows deep wounds to heal almost flawlessly in dolphins. Blubber invades the wound and repairs the tissue with the already existing blubber structure. In addition, blubber contains both natural organohalogens and short chain fatty acids known as isovaleric acids, both of which serve as antibacterial agents. Given the amount of bacteria in the marine environment, these must be extremely effective against preventing infection in the wound.

Not meaning to wish harm on dolphins, but studying their wound healing process could give tremendous insight into how humans can successfully manage injuries. We could potentially produce numerous new painkillers or antibiotics if we found the right chemicals in dolphins. Studying the regeneration-like healing may lead to new discoveries in stem cell research. Though we probably still will not be able to regrow limbs, the field has immense potential in treating localized but serious wound injuries.

Observations on the Remarkable (and Mysterious) Wound-Healing Process of the Bottlenose Dolphin : Letter to the Editor, Journal of Investigative Dermatology

The study, powered by C. Nathan DeWall of the University of Kentucky, gave volunteers either acetaminophen or placebo, and then subjected them to a game of virtual ball-toss.  Over time, subjects were gradually rejected from the game.  Those who had been given the analgesic demonstrated signs that they experienced fewer feelings of rejection, as was inferred through brain imaging of the anterior cingulate cortex, an area associated with feelings of emotional pain and desperation.

DeWall and his colleagues also demonstrated the effects of acetaminophen on a person’s moral judgment.  When confronted with typical ethical quandaries, such as whether or not it’s right to sacrifice one person to ensure the safety of others, subjects showed less hesitancy in declaring their moral choice.

Though these researchers are quick to point out that no one should expect to correct their emotional problems with such a common drug, I think it’s important to realize just how effective a small chemical push towards recovering from a refusal could be.  So often, when met with defeat or failure, it’s our natural reaction to dwell on our lack of fortune, to lose confidence or determination, or simply to become angry and resentful.  In a world where there’s a constant competition for success, our failings become exaggerated, and our emotional anguish increases.  As more and more Americans (over 27 million) elect to take strong psychotropic prescription antidepressants, it’s comforting to think that a slight mood improvement can be afforded through more mild drugs like Tylenol.  Of course, acetaminophen has its own dangers, and causes liver failure if abused.  Still, whether one is applying to graduate schools and jobs, or asking someone out on a date, a little Tylenol couldn’t hurt.

Social Analgesics- Gary Stix