 |
| CREDIT: Manish Swarup, the Associated
Press |
| A gene 'switch' can make rhesus monkeys
compliant. | |
LONDON - Scientists have discovered a way of manipulating a gene that
turns animals into drones that do not become bored with repetitive tasks.
The experiments, conducted on monkeys, are the first to demonstrate that
animal behaviour can be permanently changed, turning the subjects from
aggressive to "compliant" creatures.
The genes are identical in humans and although the discovery could help
to treat depression and other types of mental illness, it will raise
images of the Epsilon caste from Aldous Huxley's futuristic novel Brave
New World.
The experiments -- detailed in the journal Nature Neuroscience this
month -- involved blocking the effect of a gene called D2 in a particular
part of the brain. This cut off the link between the rhesus monkeys'
motivation and reward.
Instead of speeding up with the approach of a deadline or the prospect
of a "treat," the monkeys in the experiment could be made to work just as
enthusiastically for long periods. The scientists say the identical
technique would apply to humans.
"Most people are motivated to work hard and well only by the
expectation of reward, whether it's a paycheque or a word of praise," said
Barry Richmond, a government neurobiologist at the U.S. National Institute
of Mental Health, who led the project. "We found we could remove that link
and create a situation where repetitive, hard work would continue without
any reward."
The experiments involved getting rhesus monkeys to operate levers in
response to colour changes on screens in front of them. Normally they work
hardest and fastest with the fewest mistakes if they think a reward for
the "work" is imminent.
However, Mr. Richmond's team found that they could make the monkeys
work their hardest and fastest all the time, without any complaint or sign
of slacking, just by manipulating D2 so that they forgot about the
expectation of reward.
The original purpose of the research was to find ways of treating
mental illness, but the technicalities of permanently altering human
behaviour by gene manipulation are currently too complex, he said.
However, he and other scientists acknowledge that methods of
manipulating human physical and psychological traits are just around the
corner, and the technology will emerge first as a lucrative add-on
available from in vitro fertilization clinics.
"There's no doubt we will be able to influence behaviour," said Julian
Savulescu, a professor of ethics at Oxford University.
"Genetically manipulating people to become slaves is not in their
interests, but there are other changes that might be. We have to make
choices about what makes a good life for an individual."
In a presentation at a Royal Society meeting titled Designing Babies:
What the Future Holds, Yuri Verlinsky, a scientist from the University of
Chicago who is at the forefront of embryo manipulation, said: "As
infertility customers are investing so much time, money and effort into
having a baby, shouldn't they have a healthy one and what is to stop them
picking a baby for its physical and psychological traits?"
Gregory Stock, author of Redesigning Humans and an ethics specialist
from the University of California, agrees.
"I don't think these kind of interventions are exactly round the
corner, they are a few years away, but I don't think they are going to be
stopped by legislation," he said.
