Scientists are taking the steps of a technology that sheds light on the future for alcoholism, one of the biggest problems of our age. Gene-editing technology first became a reality in 2012. However, scientists still continue to argue about how ethical gene replacement is. However, researchers from the University of Illinois at Chicago found a way to end the problem of alcoholism with gene replacement in their experiments on animals.
The problem of alcoholism can end with gene replacement technology
Researchers conducted a number of experiments with CRISPR, that is, gene replacement technology, on mice. The scientists studied mice equivalent to humans aged between ten and eighteen years in separate groups of subjects.
Scientists investigating the effect of alcoholism on each group discovered that gene replacement could be an antidote, especially for early alcoholism. In this sense, scientists see changing the gene as a button that resets the brain to factory settings.
CRISPR, ie gene-switching alcoholism linkage experiments, used guinea pigs
In the experiment, mice that were in contact with alcohol for a long time could not pass the pre-treatment mazes and suffered from alcohol deficiency. However, these genetically modified mice were able to cross the maze without any problems after the procedure. At the same time, these rats did not suffer from any absence of alcohol. In particular, experimental mice, called guinea pigs, provide important data in such experiments as they give similar responses to human physiology.
In this sense, CRISPR technology is likely to prevent important problems such as alcoholism. However, this situation, which is also seen in science fiction films, has also caused significant debates for years. This topic, which is covered in the movie Gattaca, is about how genetically modified people become more elite in the future.
In the movie, we see the character’s attempt to mislead the system, who wants to go to space but is born normally, not with a gene change. According to most scientists, gene-switching interventions on babies are unethical.
So what do you think, will gene-switching technology really be our nightmare for the future? Or will this technology be a solution to all incurable diseases? We welcome your comments under the news and on the SDN forum pages.
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