By engineering brain cells to switch on or off in response to light, scientists are unlocking the mysteries of the mind and crafting new remedies for brain disorders
By
In a neuroscience laboratory in Boston, a mouse explores a plastic box, poking its nose into this corner and that. The behavior is normal, but the rodent bears a novel prosthesis: a thin glass optical fiber extends from its head and connects to a laser that can generate brief pulses of blue light. The fiber is directed at a small cluster of cells deep in the brain that manufacture the neurotransmitter dopamine.
Drugs of abuse increase dopamine levels in the brain, suggesting that the neurotransmitter conveys reward or pleasure, sometimes to a detrimental end—but no one knows the precise role of dopamine-making cells in addiction. By stimulating these cells specifically, my group, working with neuroscientist Chris Fiorillo of the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, hoped to find out.
*You must have purchased this issue or have a qualifying subscription to access this content
No comments:
Post a Comment