A group of researchers from the Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, led by neuroscientist Zilong Qiu, have just announced in the journal Nature that they have created more than twelve monkeys with symptoms of mental retardation and autism . Specifically, the specimens carry an extra copy of the MECP2 gene, responsible for making a basic protein for the nervous system. The problem is that if it is duplicated, this gene causes Rett syndrome in human children, which leads to serious dysfunctions in their cognitive abilities. Transgenic animals interact less with their congeners and show repetitive behaviors such as walking in circles. Also, if you look them directly in the eye they get stressed.
The experiment has raised both ethical and scientific doubts. First, is it really useful for studying the neurobiological roots of human autism and developing new treatments? Zilong Qiu defends that it is: in fact, his team aims to cure the disease of affected monkeys by “erasing” the genetic alteration . In addition, Qiu argues, it is the first time that a sufficient number of transgenic animals with symptoms of autism have been created to reliably study their behavior and the brain mechanisms involved.
However, some colleagues do not believe that the cases of apes can be equated to those of humans: autism would be a disease unique to our species and our complex neural circuitry. Monkeys with the extra copy of MECP2, for example, do not have the seizures characteristic of children with Brett’s syndrome.
On the other hand, there is a growing rejection of this type of essay by public opinion. Even so, some laboratories in China, Japan or the United States continue to bet on creating transgenic animals with neurological disorders.
