Slashdot Mirror


Watching Brain Cells In Action

Roland Piquepaille writes "A Stanford University team has developed a microscope weighing only 1.1 grams. It is so small that it can be mounted to the head of a freely moving mouse to watch its brain cell activity. According to what the lead researcher told New Scientist, 'A lot of work has been done using brain slices, or anaesthetised animals — even using animals that are awake but restrained. But so far it has been impossible to image cellular-level activity in a freely moving mouse.' Not any more. And as mice are the 'preferred' animals in medical labs, this new kind of microscope could lead to new ways to study human diseases."

37 comments

  1. Now... by wcrowe · · Score: 2, Funny

    If we could just mount frickin' lasers to the heads of the mice....

    --
    Proverbs 21:19
    1. Re:Now... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      We can, see the class 3B from Sony a few days ago.

  2. THIS TOPIC by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    is useless without videos

    1. Re:THIS TOPIC by philspear · · Score: 3, Informative

      The actual journal article can be obtained here

      http://www.nature.com/nmeth/journal/vaop/ncurrent/abs/nmeth.1256.html

      As always, it might require a subscription to verify this, but there are no attached video files. The authors apperantly have not put the pictures together into movie files, which is strange. Anyway, this is one case where the summary is not at fault: there simply are no videos.

    2. Re:THIS TOPIC by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      There are probably no videos because those people probably have the goddamn mice's head cut open to mount the microscope.

      This kind of shit needs to stop.

  3. Hey Pinky, are you thinking what I'm thinking... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    Let me have a look...

  4. Save the mice by gammygator · · Score: 3, Funny

    I considered suggesting using American politicians for testing instead of mice... what was I thinking?! Everybody knows they don't have brains.

    --

    No Nyarlathotep, No Chaos
    Know Nyarlathotep, Know Chaos
    1. Re:Save the mice by compro01 · · Score: 2, Funny

      They have brains. They rent them out to various corporations, so they're not in their heads very often.

      --
      upon the advice of my lawyer, i have no sig at this time
  5. Sounds pretty limited by BoldlyGo · · Score: 1

    Carl Petersen at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne, Switzerland, is also interested in studying cellular activity in active mice. "It is a good advance," he told New Scientist, but the approach can't look at all kinds of brain activity.

    The main problem, says Petersen, is that the brain scatters light extensively and so Schnitzer's technique can only capture images of cells near to the microscope. He also points out that the microscope lacks optical sectioning capability, a technique used to examine the internal 3D structure of tissue.

    Makes it sounds like they can only look at what's going on at the very surface of the brains. Still, the ability to continously view any portion of the brain is a big deal.

  6. Re:Hey Pinky, are you thinking what I'm thinking.. by StuckInSyrup · · Score: 2, Funny

    I think so, Brain, but where do we get a pool full of pineapple pudding at this hour?

    --
    Ni.
  7. Save the whales by lessthanpi · · Score: 2, Funny

    Why don't we just use a regular microscope on whales and learn their language? Then we could strap cameras on them too and have them explore the oceans for us.

    --
    One man with a gun can control 100 without one
    1. Re:Save the whales by owlnation · · Score: 1

      Why don't we just use a regular microscope on whales and learn their language? Then we could strap cameras on them too and have them explore the oceans for us.

      Cameras? No. Frickin laser beams... No... Frickin laser cannons! Forget sharks, whales are the ultimate in seabound laser destructive power. Sure, Japan and Norway would be gone pretty quickly, but... who cares! Whales with frickin laser cannons is the answer.

    2. Re:Save the whales by erroneus · · Score: 1

      1. Whales don't likely have language in the sense that we understand it -- I would liken whale language to a human baby's communication -- sounds that represent emotional state
      2. This technology is a LONG way from translating brain activity into anything resembling useful information
      3. Even if we could create a mind-link communication with whales, what makes you think they'd do our bidding?

    3. Re:Save the whales by owlnation · · Score: 1

      3. Even if we could create a mind-link communication with whales, what makes you think they'd do our bidding?

      At least if we gave them frickin laser cannons, they could save themselves. It'd make "Jaws" look like "The Little Mermaid".

    4. Re:Save the whales by jamesh · · Score: 1

      At least if we gave them frickin laser cannons, they could save themselves. It'd make "Jaws" look like "The Little Mermaid".

      whatcouldpossiblygowrong

    5. Re:Save the whales by lessthanpi · · Score: 1

      So if you put a laser cannon on a killer whale, what would it become?

      --
      One man with a gun can control 100 without one
  8. If you visit Mistress Melanie's... by hyades1 · · Score: 1

    ...in Toronto you can do as much research as you like on restrained guys dressed up like mice.

    --
    I've calculated my velocity with such exquisite precision that I have no idea where I am.
  9. It's not wireless! by A+nonymous+Coward · · Score: 1

    It's got frickin' wires going from the frickin' microscope to the frickin' outside world! They even mention the low friction commutator to let the mouse move around easily.

    Come ON, how hard is it to add a wireless web server t this beast of burden? Then we could have a new record for the smallest mobile web server.

  10. no! a roland post! by X0563511 · · Score: 2, Funny

    Damn, I thought Slashcode Bug 2135487 was too good to be true.

    --
    For large sets, this will be our guide even unto death, for the LORD will work for each type of data it is applied to...
    1. Re:no! a roland post! by unfunk · · Score: 1

      I don't get it - why does everybody hate Roland?

    2. Re:no! a roland post! by pushing-robot · · Score: 3, Informative

      I don't get it - why does everybody hate Roland?

      Because he used to link to his own blog, not directly to TFA.

      --
      How can I believe you when you tell me what I don't want to hear?
    3. Re:no! a roland post! by unfunk · · Score: 1

      But he doesn't any more, right? So why keep hating on him if he posts interesting articles?

    4. Re:no! a roland post! by pushing-robot · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Because without memes, Slashdot would disappear in a puff of logical discussion.

      --
      How can I believe you when you tell me what I don't want to hear?
    5. Re:no! a roland post! by kesuki · · Score: 1

      jealousy. he gets posted to main page quite often, and has a blog he gets paid to manage. geeks are humans too, and are just as capable of petty jealousy. others have mentioned where the hate began, but it only grew, when he was still making money blogging and the geeks reading here are working at stressful it jobs trying to raise families etc. those who broke past living in the parents basement, never getting any dates part anyways.

      btw, i never really got why people hate Roland but not taco etc.

    6. Re:no! a roland post! by X0563511 · · Score: 1

      He still links to his blog. But, he links to the articles themselves as well in the summary text.

      I admit I was playing on the meme. If you check my history, you'll find out I usually abstain (or at least do so anonymously)

      --
      For large sets, this will be our guide even unto death, for the LORD will work for each type of data it is applied to...
  11. Anonymous Coward by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    sounds like Syler from Heroes

  12. In Soviet Russia... by Verdatum · · Score: 1

    ...Brain cells watch YOU!!!!!!

    1. Re:In Soviet Russia... by zeropointburn · · Score: 1

      They do that everywhere, through the apparatus of eyes. This, then, is really a proper russian reversal where the eyes are watching the brain cells. or perhaps your reversal is a double reversal... in reversal russians, russia soviet you, or something to that effect.

      --
      -1 raving lunatic; +6 subGenius... Things even out...
  13. Just fry some eggs by myowntrueself · · Score: 2, Funny

    All I need to do to see my brain cells in action is to take some drugs and then fry an egg.

    According to the ads I saw as a kid this is an accurate depiction of my brain on drugs!

    --
    In the free world the media isn't government run; the government is media run.
  14. Religion by Citizen+of+Earth · · Score: 1

    Don't tell religious people about this research. They will be mortified to learn that they have no 'soul' -- that their mind is just a phenomenon of computation. Actually, you should keep all laypeople away from this research.

  15. Epic fail by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Sorry, I'm taking over this thread.

    News flash, the bird is NOT the word.

    http://fulldecent.blogspot.com/2008/10/bird-is-not-word.html

  16. Watching Brain Cells In Action... by Kratisto · · Score: 0

    ... Can't be done on the internet.

    --
    Conscience is the inner voice which warns us that someone may be looking.
  17. Frankie and Benjy Mouse by infonography · · Score: 1

    "In other words," said Benji, steering his curious little vehicle right over to Arthur, "there's a good chance that the structure of the question is encoded in the structure of your brain - so we want to buy it off you."

    "What, the question?" said Arthur.

    "Yes," said Ford and Trillian.

    "For lots of money," said Zaphod.

    "No, no," said Frankie, "it's the brain we want to buy."

    "What!"

    "I thought you said you could just read his brain electronically," protested Ford.

    "Oh yes," said Frankie, "but we'd have to get it out first. It's got to be prepared."

    "Treated," said Benji.

    "Diced."

    --
    Sorry about the writing. Robot fingers, you know? Cliff Steele in DOOM PATROL #23
  18. Code Monkey by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Code Monkey get up, get coffee

  19. Narf! by Philosinfinity · · Score: 1

    I think so Brain, but where are we going to find rubber pants and sod at this time of night?

  20. ohnoitsroland by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    not only that, ohnoitsnewscientist (please tag their spam as such, tyvm)

  21. Control diseases by jameson541 · · Score: 1

    After reading the article posted by 'timothy',i think it will help us to control diseases and avoid new diseases.It is a victory of our scientists to find a microscope.I appreciate there progress in work and all the best for future developments. http://www.crystalrecovery.com/