I read of a proposal a few months back to achieve brain immortality via introduction of new brain tissue that can be done in a way as to maintain continuity of experience and personality over time. Replenisens , Discussion on a system for doing it in human brains That would perhaps provide a more reliable vector for introduction, as the brain is progressively hybridised with more optimal neural genetic design. Perhaps this could be done more subtly via introduction of ‘perfected’ stem cells and then some way of increasing rate of die off of old cells.
Instead of gene editing could you just construct a ‘perfect’ new chromosome and introduce one or more instances of it into existing neurons via viral injection techniques to increase expression of beneficial factors? No particular reason why we can only have 42 🤣46 chromosomes, and this would perhaps side-step difficulties to do with gene editing. Might be a more universal solution too if we could come up with a single or small variety of options for a ‘super’ brain optimising added chromosome.
Politically the way to pitch it would be for its life saving/enhancement ability—offered for example to people with low intelligence and educational outcomes to offer them a better chance at happiness in life.
I’d be worried about the loss of memories and previously learned abilities that would come along with “increasing die-off of old cells”.
Also, there isn’t really much extra room in the brain for these new neurons to go. So unless they were somehow a lot smaller I think you’d have to basically replace existing brain tissue with them.
It’s an interesting idea. It seems likely to be substantially more invasive than what I have in mind for the gene editing treatment, but if it actually worked that wouldn’t necessarily be a huge concern.
Might be a more universal solution too if we could come up with a single or small variety of options for a ‘super’ brain optimising added chromosome.
The thing about large scale interventions like “adding a new chromosome” is that it’s going to be much harder to generalize from existing people what the effects will be.
If we got this technology working REALLY welll, like 99% editing efficiency and no immune issues with redosing, then we could probably try out adding new genes in randomized control trials and then slowly assemble a new chromosome out of those new genes. But I don’t know when or even if we’ll reach that point with this tech.
In the long run digital intelligence will win, and if we miraculously solve alignment and have any agency, we’ll probably just be digital uploads.
The extra chromosomes have duplicate genes on them. The “excessive number of copies of correct genes” is the hypothesis for why it is bad.
Theoretically a new chromosome with new cellular firmware codes genes that turn off the legacy genes being overwritten. If you had an advanced enough understanding of biology and advanced tools and advanced testing methods you could do this. It would look nothing like today.
I read of a proposal a few months back to achieve brain immortality via introduction of new brain tissue that can be done in a way as to maintain continuity of experience and personality over time. Replenisens , Discussion on a system for doing it in human brains That would perhaps provide a more reliable vector for introduction, as the brain is progressively hybridised with more optimal neural genetic design. Perhaps this could be done more subtly via introduction of ‘perfected’ stem cells and then some way of increasing rate of die off of old cells.
Instead of gene editing could you just construct a ‘perfect’ new chromosome and introduce one or more instances of it into existing neurons via viral injection techniques to increase expression of beneficial factors? No particular reason why we can only have
42🤣46 chromosomes, and this would perhaps side-step difficulties to do with gene editing. Might be a more universal solution too if we could come up with a single or small variety of options for a ‘super’ brain optimising added chromosome.Politically the way to pitch it would be for its life saving/enhancement ability—offered for example to people with low intelligence and educational outcomes to offer them a better chance at happiness in life.
I’d be worried about the loss of memories and previously learned abilities that would come along with “increasing die-off of old cells”.
Also, there isn’t really much extra room in the brain for these new neurons to go. So unless they were somehow a lot smaller I think you’d have to basically replace existing brain tissue with them.
It’s an interesting idea. It seems likely to be substantially more invasive than what I have in mind for the gene editing treatment, but if it actually worked that wouldn’t necessarily be a huge concern.
The thing about large scale interventions like “adding a new chromosome” is that it’s going to be much harder to generalize from existing people what the effects will be.
If we got this technology working REALLY welll, like 99% editing efficiency and no immune issues with redosing, then we could probably try out adding new genes in randomized control trials and then slowly assemble a new chromosome out of those new genes. But I don’t know when or even if we’ll reach that point with this tech.
In the long run digital intelligence will win, and if we miraculously solve alignment and have any agency, we’ll probably just be digital uploads.
Isn’t having extra chromosomes usually bad? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trisomy
(PS the usual number is 46)
The extra chromosomes have duplicate genes on them. The “excessive number of copies of correct genes” is the hypothesis for why it is bad.
Theoretically a new chromosome with new cellular firmware codes genes that turn off the legacy genes being overwritten. If you had an advanced enough understanding of biology and advanced tools and advanced testing methods you could do this. It would look nothing like today.