New Neurochip Listens Closer Than Ever To Brain Cells Communicating
An updated version of a neurochip can monitor brain cells' communications at the clearest resolution yet, according to scientists in Canada. It's cellular-scale mind-reading -- or mind-listening, to be more precise. Researchers have previously wired neurons into a computer chip that can sense brain cells' electrical communications. The goal is an improved understanding of how brain cells talk to each other, which could help scientists can design new drugs and therapies for neurological disorders. Now, Naweed Syed's research team at the University of Calgary has an updated neurochip that drills down into the brain's smallest, most complex communication systems -- the level of ion channels and synaptic potential, according to a University of Calgary news release. The team embedded a recording device beneath the neurochip, and developed an amplification system that allows them to hear the electrical activity taking place among the cells, as The Globe and Mail reports. Related ArticlesIBM Researchers Create...