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Mice Brainpower Boosted With Alteration of a Single Gene
Zothecula writes: By altering a single gene to inhibit the activity of an enzyme called phosphodiesterase (PDE4B), researchers have given mice the opportunity to see what an increase in intelligence is like. "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 recognize another mouse that they had been introduced to the day before (abstract). They were also quicker at learning the location of a hidden escape platform in a test called the Morris water maze. However, the PDE4B-inhibited mice also showed less recall of a fearful event after several days than ordinary mice." While many people would welcome such a treatment, the scientists say their research could lead to new treatments for those with cognitive disorders and age-related cognitive decline.
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by TheSpoom (715771) Uncaring Linux user here. I have nothing to add to this but please continue. *munches popcorn*
I would laugh so hard if they develop a drug based on this and the only skills that people gain are the ability to recognize mice better and to be less scared of open spaces and cats. Oh and to find hidden escape ways.
But really I do look forward to what will happen someday if these cognitive enhancement drugs turn out to be safe and make people smarter. I am not talking a limitless sort of thing but what happens if a university course ends up be retuned to be just too difficult for most people unless they are taking these sorts of things? If that hasn't already happened with things like Modafinil.
Now the theme to Pinky and the Brain is stuck in my head. Even less conducive to getting work done than reading Slashdot.
And just now my coworker next to me just asked why I whispered "Narf".
File under 'M' for 'Manic ranting'
How smart are we talking here?
Mod me down with all of your hatred and your journey towards the dark side will be complete!
To be competitive, I'm pretty sure certain nations would allow and/or require adjusting human brain genetics to breed a "super race" with superior intelligence, memory, and/or discipline.
I don't know how long a nation that forbids such could compete. If the super-brain nations become a threat, the hold-outs will be forced to tinker also.
Table-ized A.I.
Of course they're our overlords, they built this planet to solve the Ultimate Question, or at least to solve it with a better answer than "forty-two".
#naabhaprzrag, #sverubfr-000, #agi-fcbafberq, negvpyr[pynff*=' negvpyr-ary-'] { qvfcynl: abar !vzcbegnag; }
However, the PDE4B-inhibited mice also showed less recall of a fearful event after several days than ordinary mice.
Perhaps being smarter enabled them to process the "fearful event", determine the cause of the fear, the amount of actual hazard and any risk mitigation actions they could take, and thus not be as "afeard" the next time that event happened?
That's what humans do. They get scared by something, realize that the fright was temporary and not based on an actual threat, and desensitize.
And my fist thought was "Flowers For Algernon", too.
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the growth in cynicism and rebellion has not been without cause
Package it in a retrovirus and pass it around. And maybe we can use it to make an STD that will make people smarter. Stop being so damn conservative that you only use it on people with cognitive problems if society as a whole could benefit from fewer stupid people.
http://lungdiseasenews.com/201...
"Roflumilast works by inhibiting the activity of an enzyme called phosphodiesterase 4B (PDE4B)"
Maybe someone who's using it can tell us the side effects in humans.
Its also known by its commercial name Daliresp.
Minimum threshold fixed. Thanks!
So it works better than alcohol!
It's not just the Democrats, all of the rich and powerful keep all the real decision making away from those who are not, and we keep letting them. The window dressing is just different, that's all.