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Switching brain cells on and off using multicolored light

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Marie Freebody, [email protected]

Optogenetics – an emerging field of research that involves selectively switching brain cells on and off using flashes of light – could provide scientists with a better understanding of the abnormal brain activity associated with depression, Parkinson’s disease and more. To date, reliably activating brain cells has required blue light, but now researchers at Stanford University have found a way to use multiple visible colors of light, and even wavelengths at the infrared border, to inhibit cells. “Optogenetics is the use of light to control genetically defined...Read full article

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    Published: July 2010
    Glossary
    infrared
    Infrared (IR) refers to the region of the electromagnetic spectrum with wavelengths longer than those of visible light, but shorter than those of microwaves. The infrared spectrum spans wavelengths roughly between 700 nanometers (nm) and 1 millimeter (mm). It is divided into three main subcategories: Near-infrared (NIR): Wavelengths from approximately 700 nm to 1.4 micrometers (µm). Near-infrared light is often used in telecommunications, as well as in various imaging and sensing...
    light
    Electromagnetic radiation detectable by the eye, ranging in wavelength from about 400 to 750 nm. In photonic applications light can be considered to cover the nonvisible portion of the spectrum which includes the ultraviolet and the infrared.
    optogenetics
    A discipline that combines optics and genetics to enable the use of light to stimulate and control cells in living tissue, typically neurons, which have been genetically modified to respond to light. Only the cells that have been modified to include light-sensitive proteins will be under control of the light. The ability to selectively target cells gives researchers precise control. Using light to control the excitation, inhibition and signaling pathways of specific cells or groups of...
    wavelength
    Electromagnetic energy is transmitted in the form of a sinusoidal wave. The wavelength is the physical distance covered by one cycle of this wave; it is inversely proportional to frequency.
    BiophotonicsBioScanblue lightbrainbrain activitybrain cellscell activitycell populationcellsdepressioneNpHR3.0genesin vivoinfraredinfrared borderKarl Deisserothlightlight flashesLight Sourceslight-sensitive proteinslivign tissueMarie FreebodyneurologicalneuronsNewsoptogeneticsParkinsons diseaseproteinpsychiatric disorderspsychiatrySchool of MedicineStanford Universityvisible colorsViviana Gradinaruwavelength

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