Gene Blocker Turns Monkeys Into Workaholics - Study
Wed Aug 11, 2004 02:14 PM ET
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=scienceNews&storyID=5941798
Um, i'm a procrastinating monkey, and i think i prefer to stay that
way.
Seen too many anal retentive folks. Interesting way to produce a
slave race.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Procrastinating monkeys were turned into
workaholics using a gene treatment to block a key brain compound, U.S.
researchers reported on Wednesday.
Blocking cells from receiving dopamine made the monkeys work harder at
a task -- and they were better at it, too, the U.S. government
researchers found.
Dr. Barry Richmond and colleagues at the National Institute of Mental
Health used a new genetic technique to block the D2 gene.
"The gene makes a receptor for a key brain messenger chemical,
dopamine," Richmond said in a statement. Dopamine is a message
carrying chemical associated with rewards, movement and a variety of
other important functions.
"The gene knockdown triggered a remarkable transformation in the
simian work ethic. Like many of us, monkeys normally slack off
initially in working toward a distant goal," he added.
For their study, Richmond and colleague used seven rhesus monkeys.
They had to push a lever in response to visual cues on a projection
screen, and got a drop of water as a reward.
"They work more efficiently -- make fewer errors -- as they get closer
to being rewarded. But without the dopamine receptor, they
consistently stayed on-task and made few errors, because they could no
longer learn to use visual cues to predict how their work was going to
get them a reward."
Writing in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences,
Richmond and colleagues said they were trying to figure out how D2 is
involved in a type of learning.
Humans and monkeys both use this learning, which involves looking at
how much work there is, visually, and deciding how long it will take
to complete it.
Monkeys and humans both tend to wait until the last possible minute to
finish up the work, and become very adept at estimating how long they
have.
Molecular geneticist Edward Ginns created a DNA antisense agent that
tricked brain cells into turning off their D2 receptors -- which are
molecular doorways used by dopamine to get into cells.
Antisense involves making a kind of mirror image molecule that looks
like a strand of DNA and works to block a gene's action.
Although some employers might take a distinct interest in the work,
the NIMH team said they are hoping to understand mental illness.
"In this case, it's worth noting that the ability to associate work
with reward is disturbed in mental disorders, including schizophrenia,
mood disorders and obsessive-compulsive disorder, so our finding of
the pivotal role played by this gene and circuit may be of clinical
interest," Richmond said.
"For example, people who are depressed often feel nothing is worth the
work. People with obsessive-compulsive disorder work incessantly; even
when they get rewarded they feel they must repeat the task. In mania,
people will work feverishly for rewards that aren't worth the trouble
to most of us."
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| User: "Marvin The Paranoid Android" |
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| Title: Re: Workaholics Study |
11 Aug 2004 09:28:42 PM |
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On 11 Aug 2004 17:59:44 -0700, jha_amin <jha_amin@yahoo.com> wrote:
Gene Blocker Turns Monkeys Into Workaholics - Study
Wed Aug 11, 2004 02:14 PM ET
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=scienceNews&storyID=5941798
Um, i'm a procrastinating monkey, and i think i prefer to stay that
way.
Seen too many anal retentive folks. Interesting way to produce a
slave race.
I'd use this if I could turn it on and off as needed.
Plus I'd get it done to my kids so they'd start doing something around
here... they're my lazy little monkies.
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| User: "Su Zanne" |
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| Title: Re: Workaholics Study |
11 Aug 2004 10:34:28 PM |
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Marvin wrote:
Jha_amin wrote:
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=scienceNews&storyID=5941798
Um, >>i'm a procrastinating monkey, and i
think i prefer to stay that way.
Seen too many anal retentive folks.
Interesting way to produce a slave
race.
Large corporations will be spiking the water coolers and coffee supplies
- then subtracting the cost of it out of your Christmas
bonuses........and you won't even care.
You will only have that dumb Stepford Wife look on your face as you
merrilly finish out your double shift.
I'd use this if I could turn it on and off as
needed.
We could get you hooked up to a drip I suppose. You get to work the
button.
Plus I'd get it done to my kids so they'd
start doing something around here...
they're my lazy little monkies.
No sense paining the little darlings with work.....especially since Dad
is already pumped up with antisense.
Now go clean their room!
Go on...you won't mind.
hehehe! :)
Su Zee
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