Light Triggers New Code For Brain Cells

Brain cells can adopt a new chemical code in response to cues from the outside world. Dark tadpoles blanch when exposed to bright light. Cells in the tadpole brain respond to illumination by making dopamine, a neurotransmitter that is recognized by the system that controls pigmentation. The discovery opens the possibility that brain chemistry could be selectively altered by stimulating specific circuits to remedy low levels of neural chemicals that underlie some human ailments.

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