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Genetics and Mental Illnesses
Discoveries in genetics have helped change the way society looks at mental illnesses such as manic depression and schizophrenia. A generation ago, the leading theory about schizophrenia was that this devastating emotional and mental disorder was caused by cold and distant mothering, itself the resu
gender roles
Clausell 1
It has been prevalently believed, by professional and laypersons alike, that boys and girls in our society are socialized differently and in ways that encourage behavior consistent with our cultural definitions of appropriate sex role behaviors. Sex differences in the socializatio
Genetic Engineering is the alteration of genetic
material by intervention in genetic processes. Geneticists,
the scientists that specialize in gene therapy, are working
very diligently to map out the suspected 100,000 to 150,000
genes that make up the human body. They plan to have it
complete by 2005 (Boukhari 1). With this map of the charted
genes Jeff Kunerth, writer for the Orlando Sentinel says,
"It is one of the many scientific advances that literally
will redefine life in the next millennium,"(Kunerth 1).
Geneticists should continue their studies in genetic
engineering because of the possible health benefits it will
have. Wouldn't it be great for soon to be parents to not
have to worry about thier child coming out deformed, or with
a genetic disease that have been passed down? Or not
having to worry about diseases that occur later on in life
as a result of a missing gene? Or how would you like to
create your own child from scratch? "We are promised to be
on the verge of a new era in medicine, where serious
diseases will be cured by patching the flaws in our
intricate genetic engines" says Jeff Elliott, a respected
writer (Mahoney 33). This could all be possible because of
genetic engineering.
Geneticists will be able to cure babies from diseases
even before they are born. They plan to start by treating
severe childhood diseases like Cystic Fibrosis (Silver 2).
They will be able to do this because when a parent can not
produce a defect-free embryo gene therapy will be able to
correct it by adding the missing components or the embryo
can just be discarded for a newer healthier one that doesn't
have any deformities (Kunerth 2).
Doctors will soon be able to inject the genes into the
embryos that makes people naturally resistant to certain
kinds of cancers and/or HIV infections. They also plan to
find the gene that cases people to be obest and even
alcoholics (Silver 2).
There is a one in eighty-seven chance that a baby may
contain a chromosomal abnormality (Kunerth 1). The
parents will have the difficult choice to eather continue
the pregnancy and risk the baby will have a disability, take
the chance it will be normal, or they could even terminate
the pregnancy (Kunerth 2).
Now as geneticists are maping out the genes they can
have the options of injecting the gene(s) and having their
baby come out completely normal. Because genes are a
combination of the two parents it is possible that the baby
won't get certain genes but now the doctors could just
inject those genes (Silver 2). Scientists are hoping that
by enhancing and injecting genes into the humans that the
next generations will continue to have those genes without
having to have them altered (Kunerth 1). "Parents will
fulfill their personal expectations in respects of raising a
healthy family," says David Morris, a genetic engineering
specialist (Morris 60).
Geneticists hope that by maping out the genes they will
be able to cure present...
Boukhari, Sophie; Otchet, Amy. "Unchartered Terrain on Tomorrow's Genetic Map," Unesco Courier, Sept. 1999, p.18, 2p, 1c. Ebsco. Online. 9 Dec. 1999.
"Designer Babies, Anyone?" National Catholic Reporter, 22 Oct. 1999: Vol. 36 Issue 1, p.21, 2p. Ebsco. Online. 8 Dec. 1999.
Gene Therapy Can Help Improve Cystic Fibrosis 19 March 1999, 4 Janurary 1999: 1-2
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