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Neurons Can Be Changed From One Type To Another, Communication Paths Rewired (harvard.edu)

Posted by timothy on from the early-rewirement dept.

schwit1 writes: A newly published study from Harvard biologists [here's a link to the paywalled paper's summary] shows how neurons can be dramatically changed from one type into another from within the brain and how neighboring neurons recognize the reprogrammed cells as different and adapt by changing how they communicate with them. Building on earlier work in which they disproved neurobiology dogma by "reprogramming" neurons — turning one form of neuron into another — in the brains of living animals, Harvard Stem Cell Institute researchers have now shown that the networks of communication among reprogrammed neurons and their neighbors can also be changed, or "rewired."

6 of 31 comments (clear)

  1. "Well, sure" by smittyoneeach · · Score: 3, Funny

    "Well, sure," said a brainwashing industry spokesman.

    --
    Get thee glass eyes, and, like a scurvy politician, seem to see things thou dost not.--King Lear
    1. Re:"Well, sure" by JustAnotherOldGuy · · Score: 2

      After they rewired my brain I immediately realized that this was a wonderful thing and that everyone should do it right away!!

      ("Don't be afraid of brain slugs," says man infected with brain slug._

      --
      Just cruising through this digital world at 33 1/3 rpm...
    2. Re:"Well, sure" by FatdogHaiku · · Score: 5, Funny

      "Well, sure," said a brainwashing industry spokesman.

      Brainwashing is such a pejorative term...
      We prefer Non-consensual Attitude Adjustment.
      You'll like that better tomorrow...

      --
      You have the right to remain sentient. If you give up the right to remain sentient, you will be elected to public office
    3. Re:"Well, sure" by KGIII · · Score: 2

      Actually, as strange as this sounds, I watched a documentary where they put a thing with mechanical nubs on it into people's mouths. The mechanical piece was attached to a camera (black and white only - for contrast) and the images where then displayed by manipulating the nubs which sat on the user's tongue. With some practice (just a couple of weeks, as I recall) people were able to "see" using the nerves in their tongues.

      This was somewhere around 10 years ago - when I watched it, as I recall.

      --
      "So long and thanks for all the fish."
  2. The Cure by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    This is the beginning of the cure for severe autism, the symptoms of a extensive brain damage and such, and of course a step towards useful machine-brain interfaces.

  3. Re:Let me be the first by JustAnotherOldGuy · · Score: 2

    So you guys figure that these new brain cells are going to be pre-implanted with thoughts or something?

    I can't speak for the others here, but I was mostly just going for some yuks. :)

    Although, to be honest, it would not surprise me in the least if some marketing weasel saw this news story and had the reaction I outlined, lol.

    "Wow, what if there was some way to use this to sell more ChocoBars? Hmmm...."

    --
    Just cruising through this digital world at 33 1/3 rpm...