|
|
|
How to "take over" a brainQuicklink submitted by Kyle McDermott Permalink,
|
Become a Fan
(7 fans) |
1
 None by http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/dam/assets/130104100122-mlodinow-science-brain-story-top.jpg |
The heritage of optogenetics goes way back to 1979, when Nobel Laureate Francis Crick, co-discoverer of the structure of DNA with James Watson and Rosalind Franklin, suggested that neuroscientists should seek to learn how to take control of specific cells in the brain. Imagine being able to turn the neurons in an animal's brain on and off from the outside. Sounds like you'd be turning the creature into a robot, sounds like science fiction. Right? Well, flash forward thirty-some years, and guess what, optogenetics is a reality! Here's how it works... roughly. An obvious approach would be to stick a tiny electrode into an animal's brain and stimulate the cells using electricity. Optogenetics involves inserting fiber-optics tools into an animal's brain, in order to control the target neurons using pulses of light as a trigger. |
Read the rest of the story HERE:
Comments
The time limit for entering new comments on this Quicklink has expired.
This limit can be removed. Our paid membership program is designed to give you many benefits, such as removing this time limit. To learn more, please click here.
| 1 comments | |
To view all comments:
(Or you can set your preferences to show all comments, always)
'taking over'
by Ned Lud on Thursday, Jan 10, 2013 at 6:43:36 AM