Access

News and Views

Nature 446, 617-619 (5 April 2007) | doi:10.1038/446617a; Published online 4 April 2007

Neuroscience: Controlling neural circuits with light

Michael Häusser1 & Spencer L. Smith1

Top

Two light-sensitive proteins from unicellular organisms have been harnessed to rapidly activate or silence neurons. This optical remote control allows precise, millisecond control of neural circuits.

The prospect of direct brain control has long been a dream of philosophers, science-fiction writers and dictators. Neuroscientists have also indulged in this dream, because observation alone is insufficient to find out how the brain works.

  1. Michael Häusser and Spencer L. Smith are at the Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research and Department of Physiology, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK.
    Email: m.hausser@ucl.ac.uk

MORE ARTICLES LIKE THIS

These links to content published by NPG are automatically generated.

NEWS AND VIEWS

Expanding the toolbox for remote control of neuronal circuits

Nature Methods News and Views (01 Apr 2008)

RESEARCH

Multimodal fast optical interrogation of neural circuitry

Nature Article (05 Apr 2007)

Bi-stable neural state switches

Nature Neuroscience Technical Report (01 Feb 2009)

See all 4 matches for Research