This innovation will drive research into brain disease mechanisms and facilitate small animal disease models for new drug development. The study, titled “Active pixel power control for crosstalk-free all-optical neural interrogation” has been published in the journal Nature Communications.

Addressing the crosstalk problem in all-optical interrogation of the active brain

In recent years, advancements in all-optical interrogation of neural circuits have made it possible to pinpoint exactly which neurons trigger the corresponding movements, perceptions, or emotional responses. This achievement is enabled by two scientific breakthroughs. First, genetically encoded activity sensors, such as calcium indicators, cause neurons to glow and become visible under modern microscopes when they fire. Second, optogenetic actuators, the light-sensitive proteins like channelrhodopsins, allow specific neurons to turn on or off using flashes of light.