REBUKE FOR DEADLY DOSE OF MUSIC FOR MICE

Scientists from Cambridge University who played loud dance music to drugged
mice have received an official reprimand from the Home Office.

Seven mice which were played tracks by The Prodigy after being given a
strong form of amphetamine, or "speed", died, while others suffered brain
damage.

Animal rights campaigners were outraged by the research, described by the
British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection as "tasteless and horrific".

Today, a year after the results were published in the journal NeuroReport,
the Home Office confirmed that it had taken "infringement action" against
the research team led by Dr Jenny Morton.

Although the Home Office would not discuss the nature of the action, it
later emerged that the scientists had received "formal admonitions" and been
reminded of the rules under which animal research must be conducted.

Wendy Higgins, the BUAV's campaigns director, said: "It's disgusting. They
should be prosecuted for animal cruelty. Why should they get special
treatment just because they are scientists?"

A Home Office spokesman said: "The music and drugs study was a by-product of
Huntingdon's disease research. It developed into a separate piece of work
which went beyond the procedures authorised by the original project
licence."

A total of 238 mice were used, half of which were injected with the drug
methamphetamine and half with salt water.

The drugged mice were then exposed to silence, "white noise", or loud music.
The music played was either from the dance act The Prodigy or Bach's Violin
Concerto in A Minor, which have a similar tempo. Four mice made to listen to
Bach also died. Animals injected with salt fell asleep when the music was
played.

Dr Morton later insisted the study was justified and conducted responsibly
as part of a study looking at the affect of amphetamine on the striatum, a
brain region which degenerates in Huntingdon's disease.