Tarantula venom study could help epilepsy patients

November 19, 2024 2:39 PM

Tarantula venom study could help epilepsy patients like this toddler who's had 50 ambulance rides before her third birthday. The study will test spider venom molecules against brain tissue made from the blood of individual epilepsy patients.
posted by chariot pulled by cassowaries (1 comment total)

The tarantula enthusiast in my life often reminds people that, while there is a lot of fear around tarantulas, typically their bites are not medically significant--they would rather kick their urticating hairs at you than bite. This fellow, I am told, is the opposite, being an Old World tarantula without those hairs, and its bite will absolutely send you to the hospital. So it's neat to see its toxin being used for good! ("But don't let it bite the baby!" says my expert.)
posted by mittens at 3:23 PM on November 19, 2024