Key to this breakthrough is the world’s first Nano-MIND (Magnetogenetic Interface for NeuroDynamics) technology.
Developed by researchers at the Center for Nanomedicine within the Institute for Basic Science (IBS) and Yonsei University in South Korea, Nano-MIND enables wireless and remote control of specific brain regions to modulate complex brain functions such as emotions, social behaviours, and motivation in animals. The team’s results have been detailed in Nature Nanotechnology.
The human brain contains over 100 billion neurons interconnected in a complex network. Controlling the neural circuits is crucial for understanding higher brain functions like cognition, emotion, and social behaviour, as well as identifying the causes of various brain disorders.
Novel technology to control brain functions also has implications for advancing brain-computer interfaces (BCIs), such as those being developed by Neuralink, which aim to enable control of external devices through thought.
Magnetic fields have long been used in medical imaging due to their safety and ability to penetrate biological tissue, but precisely controlling brain circuits with magnetic fields has been challenging for scientists.
Newly developed Nano-MIND leverages magnetic fields and magnetised nanoparticles to selectively activate targeted brain circuits. According to the team, the key innovation lies in the selective expression of nano-magnetoreceptors in specific neuronal types and brain circuits and activating them with rotating magnetic fields at precise moments, allowing for spatiotemporal control of neural activity.
Nano-MIND is said to have demonstrated its capability by selectively activating inhibitory GABA receptors in the medial preoptic area (MPOA), which is responsible for maternal behaviours. Activation of these neurons in non-maternal female mice significantly increased nurturing behaviours, such as bringing pups to their nest, similar to maternal mice.
Additionally, the technology was used to regulate feeding behaviours by targeting motivation circuits in the lateral hypothalamus. Activation of inhibitory neurons within these areas resulted in a 100 per cent increase in appetite and feeding behaviours in mice. Conversely, activating excitatory neurons led to a more than 50 per cent reduction in appetite and feeding behaviours.
The team said that results show that nano-MIND technology can selectively activate desired brain circuits to bidirectionally modulate higher brain functions, paving the way for advancements in neuroscience and potential therapeutic applications.
In a statement, Cheon Jinwoo, director of the Center for Nanomedicine said: "This is the world's first technology to freely control specific brain regions using magnetic fields. We expect it to be widely used in research to understand brain functions, sophisticated artificial neural networks, two-way BCI technologies, and new treatments for neurological disorders."
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