Researchers from the Cardiff University in order to analyze the development of brain, in case the person was unable to see since birth, they sewed the eyelids of 31 kittens.
It has been discovered that a group of kittens was denied vision immediately after birth for the next 12 weeks, and the other group, were allowed to visualize initially, but later on even their eyes were sewed.
Researchers emphasized that the study was carried out in order to understand as to how brain responds to the signals sent to it by eyes, in case of amblyopia, or ‘lazy eye’, a condition have an effect on two to four % of children.
However, Michelle Thew, Chief Executive of the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection, said: “This is unacceptable cruel research. We know the public will be shocked to learn of publicly-funded experiments in which kittens have been subjected to unpleasant procedures”.
Opposing the criticism, a spokesman from the university affirmed that they could not have used any other method. It was explained that cats are similar to humans in few respects, like in this case of developing severe amblyopia, which is exactly similar to the way in which humans develop the condition and under same circumstances.
The research was allowed by Home Office and the University’s own ethics board.
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