Can we control specific brain cells using light?
In short: This video explores how inserting light-sensitive proteins into neurons allows for unprecedented control over brain activity. Discover how this technology is being used to treat blindness and PTSD-like conditions in mice.
Ed Boyden demonstrates a method of selectively activating or de-activating specific neurons using fiber-optic implants. Scientists can regulate neural functions with extreme accuracy by embedding light-sensitive protein genes within brain cells.
This technique has already shown success in curing mice of certain forms of blindness and analogs of PTSD. Looking forward, this technology paves the way for the development of advanced neural prosthetics.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: A light switch for neurons - Ed Boyden
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