Neuroengineers are working on procedures to physically rewire the brain. In doing so, they can control behavior.
OK, have I seen this movie?
This new science of neuroengineering was covered in a two-part article in Wired magazine recently.
It sounds scary but scientists claim that there is a very sound application for this procedure.
This work is being done at the Stanford University lab of Dr. Karl Deisseroth.
Basically, here’s what they are doing – with mice of course.
Researchers modify a harmless, non-reproducing virus to add genes to a particular type of cell. The genes come from two sources – an algae and an archeon – which respond to light.
The virus is inserted into the brain of a mouse and attached to a fiber optic cable. A laser can send specific frequencies of light through the cable which can turn the cells on and off. This stimulates the brain in various ways.
Depending on the area of the brain being stimulated, it can affect motor activity, mood, or other brain functions.
This involves a lot of scientists including biologists, an ecologist, a geneticist, a neurologist, a surgeon, a laser physicist and a bioethicist, who’s taking a look at the moral issues of electrically modifying someone’s personality.
Treating depression
Maybe this isn’t a therapy recommended for everyone but Deisseroth contends that this may be a valid treatment for severe depression.
Treatment for depression is often done shotgun style. That is the patient is given antidepressant drugs which go everywhere in the body.
These psychoactive drugs often have to be delivered in high concentrations into the blood in order to get past the blood-brain barrier. This often causes unpleasant and dangerous side effects. And the drugs affect all parts of the brain, not just the specific area that needs treatment.
While the idea of engineering the brain might seem bizarre or unethical, Deisseroth says that if your brain is broken, you just want it fixed which he says especially applies to people suffering from depression.
It’s his view that by isolating and testing parts of the brain, researchers can ultimately understand what the components do and potentially enhance those parts while leaving the rest of the brain untouched.
I can recommend another type of brain stimulus that’s available now and requires no fiber optic cable inserted into your brain. Go to our website – Brain Games Software – where you will find lots of brain stimulating games.
Some good blogs I’ve come across this week:
The Daily Galaxy, bills itself as news from planet earth and beyond.
Out of Bounds which advises “make each moment count double.”
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