Neurons (Photo : Reuters)
President Barack Obama's 2013 BRAIN Initiative has yield remote controlled mice the behavior of which can be controlled. The achievement could one day reach advanced stages when treatment of brain disorders in human beings, such as Schizophrenia could be possible.
The neuroscientists have, in fact, mastered a chemical-genetic mode to control brain circuitry and resultant behavior. The technology is capable of switching the neurons - and the behaviors they affect in mice.
"With its new push-pull control, this tool sharpens the cutting edge of research aimed at improving our understanding of brain circuit disorders, such as schizophrenia and addictive behaviors, " said National Institute of Health (which funded the $1 million project) director Francis S. Collins.
This study can reveal how the neurons can be activated and deactivated on-demand so that the behaviors associated with the brain disorders could be controlled. This actually means that the unwanted neuron activities may be thwarted to get the desired outcome in case of Schizophrenia and other brain-disorder patients.
The trick of controlling the neurons is known as DREADDs (designer receptors exclusively activated by designer drugs). Invented about ten years ago, this technique was used to turn neurons on or off, but not both.
DREADDs 2.0 is now capable of doing both together, according to re/code.
DREADDs 2.0 uses the synthetic brain chemical messenger system (CMS) that pairs with the functions of the naturally-occurring systems. The genetically-engineered mice brains contain the "designer receptors" in specific circuits. These synthetic chemicals act on neurons which can only be activated by a compatible synthetic chemical- like a lock and key combination.
The "designer drug" binds the receptor, relying on specific programming, to either activate or block neuronal activity. In this manner, the researchers can control the rodent's brain circuits and, thereby, its behaviors, according to 7th Space.
The experimental CMS consists of a receptor protein and matching inert chemical for increasing neuronal activity and another set for reducing activity. This makes the mice behave in a pre-defined manner.
Such techniques used to control the brain behavior could easily be applied to human beings to save them from dilapidating disorders. However, it is only in the nascent stage and many other studies should be conducted to implement such techniques in human beings.
The path for a new cure for brain disorders is ready, though.
