Ever-Happy Mouse Sheds Light on Depression

An anonymous reader writes "Scientists have bred a strain of mouse that's permanently cheerful, in hopes of better understanding and treating depression in people. By breeding mice lacking the TREK-1 gene, which is involved in serotonin transmission, researchers were able create a depression-resistant strain. They say it's the first time depression has been eliminated through genetic alteration of an organism."

Lets call him

[mathi]

Pinky

Extremely Happy Mice?

[Anonymous Coward]

Grow an ear on his back, that'll teach 'em!

Obligatory

[Dial-Up]

I'd like the be the first to welcome our cheerful overlords...

May not generalize to humans

[Beryllium Sphere(tm)]

Deactivate a mouse's TREK-1 and it acts like it's on antidepressants.

Take my Trek away from me and I get depressed.

Re:How the hell...

[Frogbert]

There toning it down for the kids. By "Happy" they mean the mice are randy.

Kill the damn things

[DAldredge]

Kill the damn things before they escape, learn to talk, and start asking us if "we are having a case of the Mondays"

NO GOOD CAN COME OF THIS

Re:How the hell...

[TheDugong]

By taking away their cheese.

Re:How the hell...

[QuantumG]

Not taking away, just strategically moving it daily.

Exciting Applications!

[Selanit]

Hey, maybe the scientists can use this to their advantage. Something like this:

PETA spokesman: You're abusing animals in your lab, you fiend.

Scientist: But they're happy!

PETA spokesman: How can they be happy with you jabbing them with needles every half hour? Among OTHER things.

Scientist: Easy - they're permanently cheerful, no matter what we do to 'em. We engineered 'em that way.

PETA spokesman: >.

Re:Today's Philosphical question...

[OrangeTide]

Most people are happy without poetry or music. (the "music" that is promoted with millions of dollars isn't really music, it's more like soft core pornography).

So he can't write songs anymore, he can still be a shoe salemen, CEO or a Senator.

Re:a similar effect in humansth

[kfg]

. . .just quit work and start smoking pot, eating magic mushrooms and dancing on the streets in the nude.

Oh, wow man, you've seen me, huh?

KFG

It's a start

[starling]

If they can breed a Goth that's permanently cheerful *then* I'll be impressed.

Oblig H2G2

[wannabgeek]

Let's get Marvin to talk to the mouse and see if it still remains cheerful.

Re:a similar effect in humans

[Scareduck]

start smoking pot, eating magic mushrooms and dancing on the streets in the nude.

Seeing Rosanne Barr naked in the streets would sober my ass right up, and depress me, all in one shot.

Re:How the hell...

[RsG]

So, like office workers and deadlines?

Re:People are not Mice

[kfg]

Mice don't feel taunted by the universe, to figure out it's secrets.

42, Dude. 42.

KFG

Comment removed

[account_deleted]

Comment removed based on user account deletion

Re:So let me get this straight

[andersa]

Hmm..And on top of that, they are all features normally associated with overlords... .. I, for one, welcome them..

Re:Obligatory

[Anonymous Coward]

I'd like the be the first to welcome our cheerful overlords...

They're not the overlords. These are [wikipedia.org]. I bet one of those would ruin their day.

Re:New breakthough != new cure.

[cdavies]

Jesus, be a little more enthusiastic, would you?

Can't you see that this brings us closer to the laudable goal of making both goth and emo extinct over the next 200 years?

Re:Today's Philosphical question...

[Hal_Porter]

Have you read Interview with the Fountainhead by Ayn Rice?

Re:Today's Philosphical question...

[kfg]

Have you read Interview with the Fountainhead by Ayn Rice?

Radical capitalist vampires? No, I haven't, but I think I might like to.

KFG

Re:So let me get this straight

[Anonymous Coward]

This reminds me of
1. a Tom and Jerry cartoon where some superdangerous white mouse escapes from a lab and Tom mistakes it for Jerry who just fell into a bowl of flower
2. Hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy!

(off to buy cheese stock)

Re:How the hell...

[geminidomino]

That's putting it mildly...

Minnie's unconsious, Daisy is limping, and Goofy is hiding in a tree...

What have we done!? We should never have played god!

Re:It's a start

[Tomfrh]

"You don't know many goths, do you?"

You say that like it's a bad thing...

Re:So let me get this straight

[Stripsurge]

Scientists finally clued into what you're saying and decided they sure as hell didn't want any variety those "super mice" angry. All new "super mouse" models will now be forced to comply to the new industry standard in happiness.

Re:Makes you not care?

[sporkme]

Is your specific disease "inflamatory political statement syndrome" or are you just baiting? Maybe "enlarged vocabulary disorder" is a side-effect of your meds.

First (mis)read

[HangingChad]

The first time I read the last line I thought it said They say it's the first time depression has been eliminated through genetic alteration of an orgasm

I thought no shit it's going to be happy. A happy little boinker. Boinky, boinky, boinky.

Re:So let me get this straight

[kasparov]

It is truly an exciting time to be alive...as a mouse.

Miranda anyone?

[Ambush]

So these scientists haven't yet seen Serenity?

Wait till they get a look at the mice that end up like the Reavers!

Re:So let me get this straight

[twistedsymphony]

exciting? maybe.. happy? ..with out a doubt.

Re:So let me get this straight

[HarmlessScenery]

It was on the cirriculum for my english class in high school. And I did read it.

So, did that English course go well? ;)

Re:How the hell...

[Walt Dismal]

And how exactly do they induce depression in the mice?

I assume it starts with exposure to Form 1040, then Schedules A, C, asset depreciation rules, and a lot of coffee. It's all downhill from there.

Re:So let me get this straight

[andersa]

You know, the funny thing is, I even looked up 'curriculum' on google before I posted, and still managed to mistype it..

Re:Today's Philosphical question...

[Stormwatch]

Have you read Interview with the Fountainhead by Ayn Rice?

No, but I've read the sequel, "Lestat Shrugged".

Re:So let me get this straight

[CrazyJim1]

Scientists can now produce singing, fearless , cancer resistant, super strong , plague-infected, mice with human brain cells from artificical sperm. On top of that these mice are now happy?!

Said mice were last over heard singing Monty Python's,"Always look on the bright side of life."

Re:Today's Philosphical question...

[Anonymous Coward]

Thank goodness I had family/friends to point me towards medical care. Lexapro changed that like a light switch, and the depression (and anti-depressants) are just a memory. But for some the depression is chronic and the treatment will probably need to be permanent.

And Lexapro can change your life too! Call 800-678-1605 or visit lexapro.com today!

Lexapro can cause nausea, insomnia, problems with ejaculation, somnolence, increased sweating, fatigue, decreased libido, and anorgasmia. Most of the side effects experienced by patients taking Lexapro are mild to moderate and go away with continued treatment, and usually do not cause patients to stop taking Lexapro.

Obligatory Futurama Quote

[pizza_milkshake]

Robots don't have any emotions, and sometimes that makes me very sad. -- Bender

Re:So let me get this straight

[Pollardito]

sounds to me like those mice have a case of the Mondays

Re:Today's Philosphical question...

[jafac]

I dunno.

I was depressed because I sucked as an artist.

Then I quit art, and started fixing computers for a living.

I'm much happier now.

And I'm told my code is sheer poetry. (damn groupies)

Re:Today's Philosphical question...

[wobblie]

Man, it's strange to see someone with such literary tastes on slashdot.