optogenetics Archives

October 29, 2020

Histamine circuits in brain reward center

Histamine — commonly associated with allergies — also has a signaling role in the brain’s reward center and may offer a novel target for treating addiction.

By Leigh MacMillan

November 4, 2016

Probing drug abuse circuitry

Vanderbilt researchers have identified cocaine-induced modifications at specific neuronal connections, which could aid the development of new therapies for substance abuse disorders.

By Leigh MacMillan

October 27, 2016

Bioluminescent sensor causes brain cells to glow in the dark

A team of Vanderbilt scientists have genetically modified luciferase, the enzyme that produces bioluminescence, so that it acts as an optical sensor that records activity in brain cells.

By VUMC News and Communications

November 6, 2014

Optogenetics sheds new light on brain’s behavior modulators

A new light-based technology is allowing scientists to peer deep into the brain and alter animal behavior with the “flip of a switch.”