Scientists from the Chinese Academy of Sciences have genetically engineered monkeys that carry a rare human gene related to autism in hopes of further understanding the brain malfunctions that underlie the disorder and cause behavioral problems, according to The Wall Street Journal. In particular, the scientists are using the transgenic monkeys to examine the social isolation and repetitive behavior that are commonly seen in autism spectrum disorders.
"We think this transgenic monkey offers a unique model to study human autism disorders," said Zilong Qui, lead researcher of the study.
The monkeys created in the study showed many psychiatric symptoms of autism, including pacing in circles and decreased social interaction, according to MIT Technology Review. Furthermore, two of the monkeys became very sick in a similar manner observed in human children with the autism gene defect.
In addition to autism, Chinese researchers are also using genetically modified monkeys to study other problems including Huntington's disease and Parkinson's disease. Although the research is controversial, some believe that it is essential in order to find treatments for these disorders and diseases.
"For understanding the human brain, we better have an animal model with a brain very close to the human brain," said Mu-ming Poo, director of a neuroscience institute where five teams are developing transgenic monkeys with hopes to use them to study various movement-related problems. "We think a nonhuman primate is absolutely required in the long run for development of drugs for human psychiatric diseases."
Despite the potential benefits of such research, it is unlikely to be conducted in the United States anytime soon due to the higher price and heightened controversy surrounding research on non-human primates, according to Scientific American.
The findings were published in the Jan. 25 issue of Nature.
