The Rats of Nimh? Scientists Create Brainy Mice to Shed Light on Alzheimer's

Scientists have created super intelligent mice that may help them shed some light on cognitive disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease, schizophrenia and other disorders. The intelligent mice were created by altering a single gene, which may also shed light on the molecular underpinnings of learning and memory.

The "brainy" mice were created when researchers altered a gene in order to inhibit the activity of an enzyme called phosphodiesterase-4B (PDE4B), which is present in many organs of the vertebrate body, including the brain.

These altered mice actually showed enhanced cognitive abilities during tests. They also tended to learn faster, remember events longer and solve complex exercises better than ordinary mice.

As an example, the intelligent mice showed a better ability than ordinary mice to recognize another mouse that they had been introduced to the day before. They were also quicker at learning the location of a hidden escape platform in a test called the Morris water maze.

Interestingly, the intelligent mice also showed less recall of a fearful event. Essentially, they were less scared of something than regular mice after a few days.

"This study highlights a potentially important role for the PDE4B gene in learning and memory in mice, but further studies will be needed to know whether the findings could have implications for Alzheimer's disease or other dementias," said Laura Phipps, who was not involved in the study, in a news release. "We'd need to see how this gene could influence memory and thinking in people to get a better idea of whether it could hold potential as a target to treat Alzheimer's."

The findings are published in the journal Neuropsychopharmacology.

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