We can also, potentially, install light sensors onto the spare neurons in blind people, converting the spare neurons into a camera so they can send info to the brain. We've done this in mice.
Tell us about your tools.
The core idea is to take molecules that sense light and convert it into electrical energy, and put them in neurons. We can take a given class of brain cells and develop a virus to deliver genes to these cells. Then we can shine light on these cells and activate them and see what they do.
How can this approach restore vision?
We can put
molecules that sense light in cells, shine light on them and turn them off, using a technique called neural silencing. We can also, potentially, install light sensors onto the spare neurons in blind people, converting the spare neurons into a camera so they can send info to the brain. We've done this in mice.
... we've done the first preclinical study, working with primates (Neuron, DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2009.03.011).
Read the whole article here (but take it with a grain of salt):
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn20204-the-brain-engineer-shining-a-light-on-consciousness.html
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