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Nature 444, 47-48 (2 November 2006) | doi:10.1038/444047a; Published online 1 November 2006

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Neurobiology: Crossed circuits

Andrew B. Schwartz1

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Can the brain be induced to reroute neural information? Such an achievement is crucial if the function of damaged brain areas is to be taken on elsewhere. A study in monkeys explores this prospect.

The rapidly growing field of neural engineering has led to the development of electronic devices that interact directly with neurons, with the aim of examining fundamental neural operations and of replacing damaged brain functions. In work described on page 56 of this issue, Jackson, Mavoori and Fetz1 use a self-contained electronic circuit implanted in the brains of monkeys to demonstrate a basic feature of learning — the ability to change the routing of neural information — that could prove useful in rehabilitative therapy.

  1. Andrew B. Schwartz is in the Departments of Neurobiology, Bioengineering and Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, E1440 BST, 200 Lothrope Street, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, USA.
    Email: abs21+@pitt.edu

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