Re:First gene-edited babies claimed in China
by buboard on Monday November 26, 2018 @09:11AM
(#18533432)
Right, but mice evidence is still evidence, probably the best evidence you can have unless one is willing to do human experiments. Also, HIV related dementia is a real thing, so there might be some connection.
Additionally, most cognitive traits come with tradeoffs, so increasing ability in one area may decrease it in another. For instance, some nootropics (modafinil) temporarily improve cognitive performance on complex tasks, at the expense of speed. I don't remember the specifics, but I've also read about similar tradeoffs regarding memory, where boosts in short-term memory may reduce the ability to form new long-term memories. The brain is pretty well-optimized on average, when you consider the unique properties and limitations of its constituent parts/materials.