This question deals with issue that could very easily arise in the future and wi

Question

This question deals with issue that could very easily arise in the future and will have to be dealt with by society. This is meant to be an opinion question to get you to think about of this issue and what should be done. As of this point in time, this scenario is not real.

1. Scientists have recently inserted a gene to create a mouse with an increased capacity for learning and memory- basically increasing the mouse's IQ. Normal, average human IQ is around 100, above that is considered highly intelligent while an IQ below 70 is considered to indicate mental disability. In the future, if this treatment could be applied to humans, it could increase IQ by 30 points.

A couple has a son with Down's syndrome giving him an IQ of 70. They want to use the therapy to increase his IQ to 100 in order for him to function normally. This is considered to be gene therapy, where technology is used to help a person function better.

A second couple has a son with an IQ of 120. They want to use the technology to bring his IQ up to 150. They feel he would have a better chance of getting into a prestigious university. This is called gene enhancement where technology is used to help a person who is already functioning normally enhance a particular characteristic.

a. Should this technology be used for gene therapy as in the first couple's situation? Why or why not?

b. Should this technology be used for gene enhancement as in the second couple's situation? Why or why not?

c. Who should get to decide the way in which this technology is used?

Explanation / Answer

a) This technology be used for gene therapy should not help to increase IQ for first couple’s situation, because genetical syndromes or diseases caused, due to the variation, on chromosomal number in individuals’.

Down syndrome individuals’ have 47 chromosomes instead of 46. The extra chromosome causes the imbalance on their metabolic regulation, which causes several medical anomalies. Here, the extra chromosome that is passed during the zygotic growth is chromosome 21. The suppression or replacement of an entire chromosome would be not possible.

b) Yes, the gene therapy would help for enhancement of IQ, because the expression of more genes would improve the phenotype character.

c) A person who knows about genetics, thus a geneticist should get to decide the way in which this technology is used.

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