Has anybody seen this? What do you think? I’m not sure I’m comfortable taking responsibility away from WS, even me…

A drug to tame a cheating heart?

Gene therapy can change promiscuous rodents into faithful partners. As for human rats, well...
June 17, 2004: 11:29 AM EDT
LONDON (Reuters) - What would you give for a simple injection that would stop your lover from cheating? Well, at least it works for meadow voles.
A single gene inserted into the brain can change promiscuous male rodents into faithful, monogamous partners, scientists said Wednesday.
It may not be quite that simple to rein in human philanderers -- many genes as well as other factors are probably involved in relationships among people.
But researchers at the Yerkes National Primate Research Center of Emory University and Atlanta's Center for Behavioral Neuroscience (CBN) in the United States said their rodent results could help to explain the neurobiology of romantic love.
"Our study ... provides evidence in a comparatively simple animal model, that changes in the activity of a single gene profoundly can change a fundamental social behavior of animals within a species," said Larry Young a researcher at the university.
He and his colleagues, who reported their research in the science journal Nature, used a harmless virus to transfer the gene for a key hormone involved in sexual behavior from monogamous prairie voles into the brains of their randy relatives, the meadow voles.
After the gene transfer, the previously promiscuous meadow voles had less of a roving eye and showed a distinct preference for their current partners.
Earlier research had shown that prairie voles, which form life-long partnerships, had higher levels of receptors for the hormone vasopressin in an area of the brain called the ventral pallidum, than meadow voles.
Introducing the gene increased the natural levels of the receptor and enhanced the meadow voles' ability to form pair bonds.
Previous studies have also suggested that the receptors may play a role in disorders such as autism, and that brain pathways involved in romantic relationships also play a part in drug addiction.
"It is intriguing," said Young, "to consider that individual differences in vasopressin receptors in humans might play a role in how differently people form relationships."

Hi,

My husband is a recovered drug addict. Is a person who is suseptible to drugs also suseptible to cheating. He sometimes jokes about cheating. I am now dealing with the aftermath of an affair. Am I to expect future affairs from him. I wonder if this drug would help him? Would it affect SF with me?

<small>[ June 22, 2004, 10:09 AM: Message edited by: Genia ]</small>

Genia - Addicts are suseptiple to any drug, or additive behavior - drugs, alcohol, cheating. That is how they have learned to deal with problems and pain.

But I think gene therapy for this is way in the future. Try the MB program or a 12 step program instead.

robby - Hmmmm. Would I rather have a faithful male rodent, or a WH? I don't know.

This is the subject of some bad science fiction.

What would be the point of removing a person's choice to be faithful?

I think I'd rather be married to someone who chooses this of their own accord.

Dumb ideas...

Low

LO-

I agree with you, but this is yet another example of removing personal responsibility by trying to make WS's victims.

These ideas may be dumb, but seem to be very prevalent in our society.

I don’t think we need to provide WS’s (or any other “victim” group) with any more excuses for bad behavior / bad choices.

Next we’re gonna hear that Adultery is a disease!

<img border="0" title="" alt="[Roll Eyes]" src="images/icons/rolleyes.gif" />

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Originally posted by robby13:
<strong> LO-

I agree with you, but this is yet another example of removing personal responsibility by trying to make WS's victims.

These ideas may be dumb, but seem to be very prevalent in our society.

I don’t think we need to provide WS’s (or any other “victim” group) with any more excuses for bad behavior / bad choices.

Next we’re gonna hear that Adultery is a disease!

<img border="0" title="" alt="[Roll Eyes]" src="images/icons/rolleyes.gif" /> </strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Excellent synopsis !

<img border="0" title="" alt="[Cool]" src="images/icons/cool.gif" />