Epilepsy pill to switch brain cells on and off

• Autores: Clare Wilson
• Localización: New scientist, ISSN 0262-4079, Nº. 2971, 2014, pág. 17
• Idioma: inglés
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• Resumen

  • There is a new way to hack the brain. A technique that involves genetically engineering brain cells so that they fire in the presence of certain drugs has been used to treat epilepsy in rats, and it could soon be tested in humans. Chemogenetics builds on optogenetics, which involves genetically engineering brain cells so that they fire in the presence of light. Selected neurons can then be turned on or off with the flick of a switch, but this requires implanting fiber-optic cables in the brain, which is impractical for treating human brain disorders.