In 52 healthy participants, both Selank and Semax modulated resting-state functional connectivity between the right amygdala and temporal cortex, showing shared and distinct brain network effects.
Rapid amygdala connectivity changesBoth Selank and Semax altered right amygdala-temporal cortex functional connectivity within 5-20 minutes of injection
What the researchers found
Both Selank and Semax modulated functional connectivity between right amygdala and right temporal cortex regions (fusiform, inferior/middle temporal, parahippocampal gyri) with both shared and peptide-specific effects.
Why it matters
This is the first human fMRI study showing how Selank and Semax change whole-brain connectivity, providing a neurobiological basis for their anxiolytic and cognitive-enhancing effects.
The numbers in context
52 participants; 3 groups (Selank, Semax, placebo); fMRI at baseline, 5 min, 20 min post-injection
How the study worked
Randomized, placebo-controlled trial with 52 healthy participants receiving Selank, Semax, or placebo injections, with resting-state fMRI at baseline, 5 min, and 20 min post-injection.
Who was studied
Healthy adult volunteers
What this study cannot tell us
Small sample per group (~17 each); only 20-minute follow-up; resting-state fMRI without cognitive task; healthy participants may not reflect clinical populations.
How to read the evidence
Randomized placebo-controlled design with objective fMRI outcomes, but small groups and short follow-up limit conclusions about clinical relevance.
When this study was published
Published in 2020; Selank and Semax remain primarily used in Russia with limited international clinical trial data.
The bigger picture
This connects neuropeptide pharmacology to brain network neuroscience, showing that synthetic peptide drugs produce measurable, rapid changes in brain connectivity patterns.
Questions still open
- Do these connectivity changes correlate with anxiety reduction or cognitive improvement?
- How long do the amygdala connectivity effects persist after injection?
- Would patients with anxiety disorders show greater connectivity changes with Selank?
Common questions
How do Selank and Semax affect the brain?
What is the difference between Selank and Semax?
Read the original research
Functional Connectomic Approach to Studying Selank and Semax Effects.
Doklady biological sciences : proceedings of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR, Biological sciences sections, 490(1), 9-11
Citation
Panikratova, Ya R; Lebedeva, I S; Sokolov, O Yu; Rumshiskaya, A D; Kupriyanov, D A; Kost, N V; Myasoedov, N F. (2020). Functional Connectomic Approach to Studying Selank and Semax Effects.. Doklady biological sciences : proceedings of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR, Biological sciences sections, 490(1), 9-11. https://doi.org/10.1134/S001249662001007X