14 DAY TRIAL // In a series of experiments, a team of scientists at Washington University and the University of Illinois in the US used a novel implantable device to control the behavior of laboratory mice from afar.
The remote-operated device, described in a paper in the journal Cell, was used to deliver drugs or to shine light on neurons in the rodents' brain. In response to these stimuli, the rodents displayed very specific behaviors.
On one occasion, the device was used to coax the mice into walking in circles. This was achieved by injecting a drug similar to morphine in a region of the brain known to be involved in addiction and motivation.
In another experiment, the rodents were commanded to remain on just one side of their cage by shining laser pulses on light-sensitive neurons in their brain. The mind control was achieved from 3 feet (nearly 1 meter) away.
Potential uses for this novel device
In their report in the journal Cell, the researchers explain that, unlike other implantable devices designed to influence or map brain activity, the one that they developed and tested on mice is small and flexible enough not to cause any kind of damage to neurons.
For starters, it is made of soft materials. What's more, the device is merely 80 micrometers thick and 500 micrometers wide. Hence, it is unlikely that it might damage neurons by displacing tissue when implanted into the brain.
The scientists believe that the device is perfectly suited for detailed studies on brain circuitry. More precisely, they say that medical experts could use it to shed new light on how different brain areas communicate with each other.
“It unplugs a world of possibilities for scientists to learn how brain circuits work in a more natural setting,” said researcher Michael R. Bruchas in a statement, as cited by EurekAlert.
In turn, a better understanding of brain circuitry might help pave the way for a better understanding of disorders such as depression and addiction.