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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: 2) by bradley13 on Wednesday August 19 2015, @02:30PM
Flowers for Algernon [amazon.com]
Everyone is somebody else's weirdo.
(Score: 2) by AndyTheAbsurd on Wednesday August 19 2015, @02:51PM
Escape Pod [escapepod.org] produced a free audio version of the original short story, if you don't want to give Amazon your money. Direct link [libsyn.com] to the MP3 if you want to skip the BS and just get the file.
Please note my username before responding. You may have been trolled.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 19 2015, @02:56PM
Fuck Amazon, here's a much better link https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flowers_for_Algernon [wikipedia.org]
(Score: 2) by inertnet on Wednesday August 19 2015, @09:37PM
The text can be found all over the net for free. It's a brilliant story.