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As reported in Science Daily, researchers at University of Leeds have created unusually intelligent mice [abstract only] by altering a single gene and as a result the mice were also less likely to feel anxiety or recall fear.
In behavioural tests, the...mice showed enhanced cognitive abilities. They tended to learn faster, remember events longer and solve complex exercises better than ordinary mice.
For example, the "brainy mice" showed a better ability than ordinary mice to recognise another mouse that they had been introduced to the day before. They were also quicker at learning the location of a hidden escape platform in a test called the Morris water maze.
They also showed less recall of a fearful event after several days than ordinary mice which could be of interest to researchers looking for treatments for pathological fear, typified by Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Ordinary mice are naturally fearful of cats, but these mice showed a decreased fear response to cat urine, suggesting that one effect could be an increase in risk-taking behaviour.
The researchers are now working on developing drugs that will be tested in animals to see whether any would be suitable for clinical trials in humans.
(Score: 5, Funny) by ikanreed on Wednesday August 19 2015, @01:44PM
One is a genius, the other's insane.
(Score: 3, Funny) by Thexalon on Wednesday August 19 2015, @02:13PM
Well, actually, they named this super-smart mouse "Algernon", because what could possibly go wrong?
The only thing that stops a bad guy with a compiler is a good guy with a compiler.
(Score: 3, Funny) by The Archon V2.0 on Wednesday August 19 2015, @02:29PM
> what could possibly go wrong?
Someone could add backstory and filler to a short story that really didn't need it, that's what.
(Score: 2) by DECbot on Wednesday August 19 2015, @02:41PM
See my previous about smart mice: Oblig. Snark [soylentnews.org]
cats~$ sudo chown -R us /home/base
(Score: 2) by ikanreed on Wednesday August 19 2015, @02:46PM
Eh, mice lack the weakened jaw adaptation that allows the prefrontal lobe to grow much larger in humans. Our brain cells are indeed special, but they alone aren't enough to gain human-like sentience. Brain-bodymass ratio is an important(How important? we don't know) part of the equation.