Gene editing and reducing Autistic repetative behavoirs

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Autism traits may be “edited” out using new genetic techniques, scientists have said, following a successful trial.

Researchers are hailing a breakthrough after they used cutting-edge gene editing to to significantly reduce repetitive behaviour associated with the disorder.

The technique, which was performed on mice, could also be developed to treat conditions ranging from opioid addiction and neuropathic pain to schizophrenia and epileptic seizures.

Scientists injected gold nanoparticles covered in a “forest” of DNA chains to alter the  the genetic code of mouse models with a form of autism called fragile X syndrome (FXS).

The technique, CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing, resulted in in a 30 per cent drop in repetitive digging, and a 70 reduction in leaping, both indicative of autistic behaviour.

Because the editing DNA was introduced attached to gold particles, the team were able to control how much of the crucial Cas9 protein was delivered, in contrast to previous failed attempts using viruses.

"There are no treatments or cures for autism yet, and many of the clinical trials of small-molecule treatments targeting proteins that cause autism have failed," said study leader Hye Young Lee, an assistant professor of cellular and integrative physiology at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.

"This is the first case where we were able to edit a causal gene for autism in the brain and show rescue of the behavioral symptoms."

And so it begins...

Why so pessimistic?

Nazi Germany systematically sterilized or murdered people with schizophrenia. Guess what? One generation afterwards, the incidence rate of schizophrenia in Germany was... (drum roll)... higher than neighboring countries!

http://brucelevine.net/what-happened-after-a-nation-methodically-murdered-its-schizophrenics-rethinking-mental-illness-and-its-heritability/

Mother Nature has had 4 billion years to play with evolution. Genomic study (from the moment of assembling first human genome) has had a history of... 15 years. If people think they can outsmart Mother Nature, be my guest.

Autism, by the square-root law, happened right after the invention of bows and arrows, just like color blindness, just like bipolar disorder. All these genetic conditions were introduced around the same time. These neuro-variants entered human race with a purpose. They are all part of normal, and are intended by Mother Nature.

The problem of modern society is we have forgotten how we lived and interacted with these neuro-variant people. Compulsory mass education in the form of schools... that thing... is the problem. Somehow it got into our heads that everyone must be raised the same way. Public schools are the main reason why autism is viewed negatively. Why don't people take a look at how Elon Musk raises his children? http://fortune.com/2018/06/26/elon-musk-ad-astra-school/

The first Jurassic Park movie says it the best: "Life, uh, finds a way." So, go ahead, be my guest, and let's see how Mother Nature answers your travesties. Autism is polygenic. Mother Nature has more than enough arsenal to deal with your naïveté.