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Asked by to Anna, Elaine, Fiona, Kevin, Darren on 16 Jun 2014. This question was also asked by .
Question: Would it be possible to genetically modify a brain so that it's a lot more clever, or at least a lot better at learning?
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Zhiming Darren Tan answered on 16 Jun 2014:
Probably it’s “possible” but it’s probably not easy either. We are pretty good at learning already, and you can make yourself better at learning in a lot of ways without genetic modifications. Especially if you are already alive (in which case you usually don’t like people fiddling too invasively with your brain).
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Elaine Cloutman-Green answered on 16 Jun 2014:
Learning is complex and clever kind of depends who you speak to. It’s possible to select traits that are linked with higher IQ, but IQ isn’t everything. There are all kinds of intelligence, some relating to emotions as well as just how good we are at solving problems so it would be good to increase all kinds of intelligence at the same time.
It’s possible to improve IQ scores not just in development but when animals and humans are growing up by exposing them to different things. I think this shows it’s not just what you are born with but how you are taught to use it along the way.
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Kevin O'Dell answered on 16 Jun 2014:
It’s definitely possible to genetically modify a brain, but the problem is in deciding what versions of the 25000 genes you might want to introduce. Brains are fiendishly complicated both in the way they’re constructed and the way they are modified by experience, and at present scientists only have a limited understanding of how all the bits work. Even if we did manage to work out which extra gene or genes we might want to add to our brain the problem becomes how do we deliver that DNA encoding the gene to the right part of the brain so that it is transcribed and translated at the best level. (In fact delivering a gene to its targetted cell or tissue is the biggest problem in genetic modification of anything).
Though it pains me to say this as a geneticist, I think a biochemical approach would be better, though once again problem will be in delivering the right chemical to the right part of the brain at the right level. -
Fiona McLean answered on 17 Jun 2014:
A very interesting question! It would be very useful if you could modify your brain to make yourself more clever. So I guess the easiest way would be to genetically modify a gene which controls a chemical in your brain which helps with learning and memory. One chemical you could try is dopamine. It is very important in memory function in the brain however it is very sensitive. If you have too little of it or too much of it then it can inhibit memory so it might be difficult to get the right balance of it. Another one you could try is serotonin which helps with learning and memory. But is does have other roles in the brain (including controlling your mood and how hungry you feel) so it would maybe help you learn but mess up other things.
However I have good news for you! You can help improve your brain in a much easier way! You can even start improving it today! Your brain is a busy organ that needs lots of energy. In fact it uses about 20% of the energy you get from eating food. This means that what you eat can really influence how good your brain is. Some foods that can help your brain are fish, spinach and blueberries. These have lots of good things in them (such as antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids) and can help your brain work well. The best thing about this is that these food aren’t just good for your brain but your whole body too!
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Ben commented on :
There’s a few known genes that are thought may play a role in intelligence. One gene being researched by scientists at King’s College London, NPTN, has been associated with better performance in intelligence tests in teens. There’s also a proposed link between sugar metabolism and intelligence; brains that are more efficient at using sugar are thought to perform better.