Light-up neuron technique ‘could enhance brain research’

Scientists have created a new technique for producing genetically-altered neurons that light up as they fire, which could have numerous positive implications for brain research.

A team from Harvard University have produced a special type of virus that is able to cause brain cells to manufacture a protein that fluoresces when exposed to an electrical signal.

This could be used to create research models that allow scientists to visibly trace the progress of electrical signals through the brain, meaning they can witness how learning alters neural pathways.

The discovery could greatly facilitate drug development processes in future, providing researchers with the ability to see at a glance how cells are reacting to treatment, instead of the current time-consuming process.

Adam Cohen, the John L Loeb associate professor of natural sciences at the university, said: "It's very exciting. In terms of basic biology, there are a number of things we can now do which we've never been able to do."

In September 2011, a team from Howard Hughes Medical Institute utilised dyes administered to the brains of mice to identify the neurons associated with different taste sensations for the first time.