As research on transplanting laboratory-grown human “mini-brains” into animals to study neurological diseases continues to expand, experts warn that work with these brain organoids could lead to a “Planet of the Apes” scenario. “.
The concern is that animals may develop humanized traits and begin to behave similarly to the intelligent apes in popular science fiction history.
The warning comes from a team at Kyoto University who published a paper highlighting several ethical implications that could arise with research on brain organoids.
While many see brain organoids as a way to quickly develop treatments for disease, others fear that because they are designed to mimic the real, they too can achieve some form of awareness.
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Experts warn that working with these brain organoids could lead to a “Planet of the Apes” scenario (pictured). The concern is that animals may develop humanized traits and begin to behave similarly to the intelligent apes in popular science fiction history.
Tsutomu Sawai, an assistant professor at Kyoto University, said: “This is still too futuristic, but that doesn’t mean we have to wait to decide on ethical guidelines.
“The concern is not so much a biological humanization of the animal, which can happen with any organoid, but a moral, exclusive humanization of the brain.”
Brain organoids, first created in 2008, are 3D balls of brain-like tissue grown from stem cells, and generally from human cells.
Other research on stem cells uses animal tissues to grow organoids, called ‘xeno-organs,’ which are transplanted into other animals.
Brain organoids (pictured), first created in 2008, are 3D balls of brain-like tissue grown from stem cells, and generally from human cells. Some fear that because they are designed to mimic the real, they may also achieve some form of consciousness
For example, scientists successfully cultured a mouse pancreas in a rat and vice versa.
This innovative work is paving the way for human pancreases to be grown in pigs that could then be harvested for human organ transplants.
In the document, however, these animals would carry on their lives as organ farms for the good of humans.
However, Sawai said there is a more urgent issue.
“One of the most important problems is transplants. Should we put brain organoids in animals to observe how the brain behaves?
Sawai warns that doing so could cause the animals to have improved skills, which may resemble the popular Planet of the Apes.
The story has been popular since it was first released in 1968 and then in 2017 as a remake.
The planet of the apes takes place on a distant planet at some point in the future, where three astronauts are stranded and learn that the world is ruled by intelligent apes.
Although the growth of whole human brains within animals is not under any serious consideration, brain organoid transplants could provide a crucial insight into how diseases such as dementia or schizophrenia and treatments to cure them are formed. .
Brain organoids have provided scientists with a new way to study the human brain: to better understand how it develops and to know how diseases develop.
Although the growth of whole human brains within animals is not under any serious consideration, brain organoid transplants could provide a crucial insight into how diseases such as dementia or schizophrenia and treatments to cure them are formed. . The image shows the cells of a brain organoid
However, the issue has found mixed signals in the scientific community, as some see brain organoids as a way to quickly develop treatments for devastating brain diseases and others fear organoids may soon get in some form. of consciousness.
The brain is considered the source of human consciousness, so if brain organoids are just a smaller version of reality, they should also develop consciousness.
And the Kyoto University paper states that this has all sorts of moral implications.
‘Consciousness is a very difficult property to define. We don’t have very good experimental techniques that confirm consciousness, ”said Sawai, who has spent several years writing about the ethics of brain organoid research.
“But even if we can’t prove consciousness, we should set guidelines because scientific advances demand it.”
Another ethical issue that comes from brain organoid transplants concerns humans. If something goes wrong, the mini brain cannot be removed. The image shows the increased process of cerebral organoids beginning between three and ten days
Another ethical issue that comes from brain organoid transplants concerns humans.
All pathways of brain organoids aim to be transplanted into human patients who have suffered some type of trauma or sudden brain injury.
There are already a number of clinical trials involving brain cell transplantation as cell therapy in patients with this injury or neurodegenerative diseases.
Sawai said the ethics behind these therapies could act as a paradigm for brain organoids.
“Cell transplants change the way brain cells work. If something goes wrong, we can’t just take them out and start over,” Sawai said.
But right now, the cell transplant is usually in one place. Brain organoids were expected to interact more deeply with the brain, risking more unexpected changes. “