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Scientists Unleash Franken-Mice With Brains That Are Nearly Half Human
futurism.com • • general
Key Points:
- Scientists at Stanford University have engineered mice with brains containing millions of functioning human neurons by implanting human cortical brain cells into genetically modified mice lacking this brain region.
- The implanted human neurons multiplied extensively and integrated with the mouse brain, resulting in mice with nearly half their brain volume composed of human neurons, while exhibiting mostly normal behavior but some human-like neurological responses.
- This model provides a novel platform to study human brain function and neurocognitive disorders, demonstrated by the mice showing human-like brain damage responses to oxygen deprivation and containing von Economo neurons linked to social behavior and dementia.
- Ethical concerns arise regarding the consciousness potential of these human-mouse chimeras, as researchers terminated experiments before the neurons matured enough to form advanced brain connections, sparking debate on animal rights and research boundaries.
