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Deleting Certain Gene Makes Mice Smarter

Posted by Soulskill on from the break-out-the-ribonucleic-scissors dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Deleting a certain gene in mice can make them smarter by unlocking a mysterious region of the brain considered to be relatively inflexible, scientists at Emory University School of Medicine have found. Mice with a disabled RGS14 gene are able to remember objects they'd explored and learn to navigate mazes better than regular mice, suggesting that RGS14's presence limits some forms of learning and memory."

4 of 259 comments (clear)

  1. Cool, it's like Intel Upgrade Service for a brain. by mr_mischief · · Score: 5, Funny

    I can haz turnkey upgrade for 50$?

  2. Yeah! by SigILL · · Score: 4, Funny

    Yeah, let's make lab mice smarter! What could possibly go wrong?

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    Error: password can't contain reverse spelling of ancient Chinese emperor
  3. Hmmm by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    I used to watch a documentary about this as a kid. Apparently this causes 50% of the mice to turn incredibly stupid, while the other 50% want to take over the world.

  4. Turns out by antifoidulus · · Score: 4, Funny

    thats the gene responsible for creating sex drive. Without worrying about sex the mice can concentrate on solving mazes. The Seinfeld hypothesis is right(well for mice anyway, if it were right for humans I would be the smartest man on the planet :P)

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    Monstar L