Of Mice and Men
Prozac’s secret disclosed
"In a recent study, researchers from an American laboratory claim to have discovered the way in which the anti-depressant drug, Prozac functions on the brain. Prozac has been around for 18 years but this is the first time scientists have been able to explain the working of the drug. It has been common knowledge that Prozac (fluoxetine) alleviates the symptoms of depression by stimulating the growth of brain cells. But how it does this has never been known until now. Scientists from the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory of Long Island conducted a research that enabled them to finally understand the mechanism of the drug. The examination was carried out on mice specially bred by Grigori Enikolopov and his colleagues."
Tsk, tsk. These uncommon heroes, these unwitting victims, these mice.
How many of your breed, of Mickey, have died in the name of Science? How many mothers weep, Minnie, everytime they inject viscuous fluid into those tiny, extremely furry bodies?
I mock you not. I'm just wondering why.
True, I don't care a lot for rats. If anything, I detest them. But you have to give them some acknowledgement for sticking around as long as they have, even if it's only because they reproduce so rapidly.
But why Mice?
"Among the animals used in research, teaching, and testing, mice comprise a majority of all experimental mammals. The remarkable genetic similarity of mice to humans, combined with great convenience, perhaps accounts for mice so often being the experimental model of choice in research. Mice also are used to test new procedures and drugs for safety, as required by an array of federal regulations. Another primary use of mice is for the production of biological reagents, such as monoclonal antibodies and vaccines. Mice are small and inexpensive to maintain. Their short life span and rapid reproductive rate make it possible to study disease processes in many individuals throughout their life cycle."
O-ho! Hello there! Another mammalian cousin! I wonder what anti-evolutionists would say about that, huh?
Monkeys are starting to look pretty good now, aren't they? :)
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
I wonder what my fixation about evolution is? I started out wanting to talk about Prozac, that's how I came across the research. Why Prozac? Because I thought I needed it. But after reading this article, it left me trying to remember if I've come across some extremely happy, frolicsome mice and rats these days and I realize I haven't. :) Suffering then must truly be more than just a human condition. It must be some kind of universal crap that goes around and comes around.
Hehe. Strange, but that makes me a tinge happier than I was five minutes before. :)
"In a recent study, researchers from an American laboratory claim to have discovered the way in which the anti-depressant drug, Prozac functions on the brain. Prozac has been around for 18 years but this is the first time scientists have been able to explain the working of the drug. It has been common knowledge that Prozac (fluoxetine) alleviates the symptoms of depression by stimulating the growth of brain cells. But how it does this has never been known until now. Scientists from the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory of Long Island conducted a research that enabled them to finally understand the mechanism of the drug. The examination was carried out on mice specially bred by Grigori Enikolopov and his colleagues."
Tsk, tsk. These uncommon heroes, these unwitting victims, these mice.
How many of your breed, of Mickey, have died in the name of Science? How many mothers weep, Minnie, everytime they inject viscuous fluid into those tiny, extremely furry bodies?
I mock you not. I'm just wondering why.
True, I don't care a lot for rats. If anything, I detest them. But you have to give them some acknowledgement for sticking around as long as they have, even if it's only because they reproduce so rapidly.
But why Mice?
"Among the animals used in research, teaching, and testing, mice comprise a majority of all experimental mammals. The remarkable genetic similarity of mice to humans, combined with great convenience, perhaps accounts for mice so often being the experimental model of choice in research. Mice also are used to test new procedures and drugs for safety, as required by an array of federal regulations. Another primary use of mice is for the production of biological reagents, such as monoclonal antibodies and vaccines. Mice are small and inexpensive to maintain. Their short life span and rapid reproductive rate make it possible to study disease processes in many individuals throughout their life cycle."
O-ho! Hello there! Another mammalian cousin! I wonder what anti-evolutionists would say about that, huh?
Monkeys are starting to look pretty good now, aren't they? :)
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
I wonder what my fixation about evolution is? I started out wanting to talk about Prozac, that's how I came across the research. Why Prozac? Because I thought I needed it. But after reading this article, it left me trying to remember if I've come across some extremely happy, frolicsome mice and rats these days and I realize I haven't. :) Suffering then must truly be more than just a human condition. It must be some kind of universal crap that goes around and comes around.
Hehe. Strange, but that makes me a tinge happier than I was five minutes before. :)
Comments
Post a Comment