Sonic The Hedgehog Cures Down Syndrome In Mice

Don_Barracuda · September 6, 2013, 12:52am

US researchers have found a way to reverse Down syndrome in newborn lab mice by injecting an experimental compound that causes the brain to grow normally.

The study, published in the Science Translational Medicine journal, offers no direct link to a treatment for humans but scientists are hopeful it may offer a path towards future breakthroughs.

There is no cure for Down syndrome, which is caused by the presence of an additional chromosome and results in intellectual disabilities, distinctive facial features and other health problems.

The team at Johns Hopkins University of Medicine, in Baltimore, used lab mice that were genetically engineered to have extra copies of about half the genes found on human chromosome 21, leading to Down syndrome-like conditions such as smaller brains and difficulty learning to navigate a maze.

On the day the mice were born, scientists injected them with a small molecule known as a sonic hedgehog pathway agonist.

‘Unexpected benefits’ in learning and memory
The compound, which has not been proven safe for use in humans, is designed to boost normal growth of the brain and body via a gene known as SHH.

The gene provides instructions for making a protein called sonic hedgehog, which is essential for development.

We were able to completely normalize growth of the cerebellum through adulthood with that single injection
Roger Reeves, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
"It worked beautifully," said Roger Reeves of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

“Most people with Down syndrome have a cerebellum that’s about 60 per cent of the normal size,” he said.

“We were able to completely normalise growth of the cerebellum through adulthood with that single injection.”

The injection also led to unexpected benefits in learning and memory, normally handled by a different part of the brain known as the hippocampus.

Researchers found that the treated mice did as well as normal mice on a test of locating a water platform while in a swimming maze.

However, adjusting the treatment for human use would be complicated, since altering the growth of the brain could lead to unintended consequences, such as triggering cancer.

“Down syndrome is very complex and nobody thinks there’s going to be a silver bullet that normalises cognition,” Dr Reeves said.

“Multiple approaches will be needed.”

tataki · September 6, 2013, 12:57am

This is old news to people who actually studied biology.

FYI-

hubcapsignstop · September 6, 2013, 1:13am

"OLD."
hahaa, ok dude

freaking Schreiber

Kromo · September 6, 2013, 1:19am

Amazing!
Now if only they can figure out why Sonic The Hedgehog fandom causes down syndrome in humans…

Einlanzer · September 6, 2013, 8:38am

if only they found a way to make sonic the hedgehog videogames good (and relevant) again!

Sonichuman · September 6, 2013, 9:15am

Hey…the Cycle got busted about 3 years ago.

Thirtyfour · September 6, 2013, 9:59am

Gotta go fast.

SNAAAAKE · September 6, 2013, 10:40am

sonic games still suck

the7k · September 6, 2013, 11:37am

So, basically you are saying that he’s…

… too slow?

Smashbro29 · September 6, 2013, 12:18pm

Some scientist was quite the Sega fan.

Missing_Person · September 6, 2013, 2:53pm

They keep trying to test this on humans, but they keep bumping into springs and spikes trying to get to the facility.

Darksakul · September 6, 2013, 5:57pm

Must be Old School Sega, there new stuff is dismal.

The_Lone_Dragon · September 6, 2013, 7:51pm

The newer games are actually really good.

Generations and Colors were actually well liked.

But, this is the internet.

Never let the truth get in the way of an opportunity to get a “like” or a “thumb”.

Darksakul · September 6, 2013, 9:01pm

Omelette du fromage

Smashbro29 · September 6, 2013, 9:33pm

Just to weigh in on the whole “Sonic games suck shit” debate.

There’s only 3 games in that category really, Heroes (which is debatable), Shadow (which is far less debatable) and 06 (an awful mess). All throughout this “bad period” we got some of the most solid handheld games. So I really don’t get this Sonic cycle thing.

XthAtGAm3RGuYX · September 7, 2013, 1:18am

I think they actually break down their own mentality to convince themselves that sonic games are enjoyable, with down syndrome as a side effect of the process.

Thats about as far as I got though. This research requires 80 scientists and I only have 70.

Hotobu · September 7, 2013, 1:36am

Sonic 3D Blast, Sonic R, *Sonic Adventure 1 and 2, Sonic and the Black Knight, Sonic Unleashed, Sonic 4

*Yes I fucking said it. Sonic Adventure 1 and 2 were trash.

Gumpool · September 7, 2013, 2:41am

I got downsyndrome by playing sanic

Smashbro29 · September 7, 2013, 5:24am

Adventure wasn’t trash. Some bits didn’t age well but trash is a stretch. 3D Blast and R aren’t part of the “cycle era”. Black Knight was shit gotta give you that one, Unleashed was only half shit I guess I remembered it fondly but true fuck that werehog noise. Sonic 4 isn’t bad so much as it is a huge letdown but again fair point.

Taito · September 7, 2013, 5:33am

Adventure 1 is hard to defend because it’s buggy as hell and very dated (feels like a PS1 game, with a graphics boost by 1998 standards). But that was the last Sonic game that resembled the Genesis series, before they added a goth hedgehog and a whore bat, and “those fans” started rolling in to represent the franchise.

Sonic is recovering with recent entries like Generations and maybe Lost World, for those who still give a fuck.