Light Helps Injured Mice Walk Again

Mantrid42 writes "Researchers have been able to affect the brains of lab mice using light. Working in a new field called Optogenetics (optical stimulation plus genetic engineering), scientists injected lab mice with genes that can stimulate or inhibit neural activity based on the color of the light they're exposed to, and can be targeted to infect only on certain cell types. Additionally, another gene has been added to make neurons glow green when firing, allowing two-way communication between a brain and a machine."

Comments

What a neat idea

[TheCouchPotatoFamine]

what a neat idea this and a laser at the right wavelengths(s) could manipulate a transparent surface of connected neurons very nicely, and like multi layer dvd technology, they could probably stack the layers. never heard of anything like this before.

Re:What a neat idea

[zippthorne]

Are you suggesting creating some kind of mouse neuron ASIC?

Re:What a neat idea

[TheCouchPotatoFamine]

...and all the recent micro-fluidic lab-on-a-chip research could be the substrate that keeps the neurons alive. a Neuron Cube Computer. What is really neat is that it is the *computer* that can by reading the firing of one level, provide inputs to the next, completely controlling propagation of learning. Just thought i'd post that bit of dreaming too.

Re:Makes sense

[Dunbal]

Not to rain on the parade, but electrical activity does not correlate with "intelligence". Otherwise all epileptics would be super-gifted during their fits...