Scientists breed world’s first mentally ill mouse

[Guest guest]

This is so sad............... SCIENTISTS have created the world’s first schizophrenic mice in an attempt to gain a better understanding of the illness. It is believed to be the first time an animal has been genetically engineered to have a mental illness. Until now they have been bred only for research into physical conditions such as heart disease. It will allow researchers to study the disease and develop treatments using a limitless supply of laboratory animals. Animal rights campaigners have condemned the research, saying that it is morally repugnant to create an animal doomed to mental suffering. The mice were created by modifying their DNA to mimic a mutant gene first found in a Scottish family with a high incidence of schizophrenia, which affects about one in every 100 people. The mice’s brains were found to have features similar to those of humans with schizophrenia, such as depression and

hyperactivity. “These mutant mice may provide an important new tool for further study of the combinations of factors that underlie mental illnesses like schizophrenia and mood disorders,” said Takatoshi Hikida, of Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, a leading researcher. The egg cells of mice were genetically modified by inserting a gene associated with schizophrenia into their DNA. The eggs were fertilised and grown into viable baby mice using surrogate mothers. Animal Aid, a campaign group, said rodents were not a reliable way of modelling human disease. Have your say I think Animal Aid may be wrong. "Mentally ill rodent" sounds like the precise definition of a member of the Democrat Party. They definitely model "human disease." Jim, Altamonte Springs, FL Who decides whether rats are OK for testing but not cats; monkeys but not dolphins? When a wild animal kills another, this is for survival. Is testing on a rat

really a part of the survival process of humans? Daryl, Tooting, They should have used some whinging people from animal aid ;-o Dave Madley, Alicante, SpainPeter H

 

Answers - Get better answers from someone who knows. Try

it now.

[Guest guest]

I wish they wouldn't do this sort of thing. Poor mice are now bred

to have cancer from birth or a few weeks old, and many other

disorders. :-(

 

Jo

 

, Peter VV <swpgh01 wrote:

>

> This is so sad...............

> SCIENTISTS have created the world's first schizophrenic mice in

an attempt to gain a better understanding of the illness.

> It is believed to be the first time an animal has been

genetically engineered to have a mental illness. Until now they have

been bred only for research into physical conditions such as heart

disease. It will allow researchers to study the disease and develop

treatments using a limitless supply of laboratory animals.

> Animal rights campaigners have condemned the research, saying

that it is morally repugnant to create an animal doomed to mental

suffering.

> The mice were created by modifying their DNA to mimic a mutant

gene first found in a Scottish family with a high incidence of

schizophrenia, which affects about one in every 100 people. The

mice's brains were found to have features similar to those of humans

with schizophrenia, such as depression and hyperactivity.

> " These mutant mice may provide an important new tool for further

study of the combinations of factors that underlie mental illnesses

like schizophrenia and mood disorders, " said Takatoshi Hikida, of

Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, a leading researcher.

> The egg cells of mice were genetically modified by inserting a

gene associated with schizophrenia into their DNA. The eggs were

fertilised and grown into viable baby mice using surrogate mothers.

> Animal Aid, a campaign group, said rodents were not a reliable

way of modelling human disease.

>

>

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>

> I think Animal Aid may be wrong. " Mentally ill rodent " sounds

like the precise definition of a member of the Democrat Party. They

definitely model " human disease. "

>

> Jim, Altamonte Springs, FL

>

> Who decides whether rats are OK for testing but not cats; monkeys

but not dolphins? When a wild animal kills another, this is for

survival. Is testing on a rat really a part of the survival process

of humans?

>

> Daryl, Tooting,

>

> They should have used some whinging people from animal aid ;-o

>

> Dave Madley, Alicante, Spain

>

>

>

>

>

> Peter H

>

>

>

>

> Answers - Get better answers from someone who knows. Tryit

now.

>