1. Valerie Fortin BME 181 Spring 2013 Controlling the Brain

2. Current Methods Most treatments for neural disorders include either prescribed medicine or surgery – Surgery removes entire sections of brain – Medicine is unable to target the specific cells – Both often have severe side-effects

3. A Better Alternative Dr. Ed Boyden – Spoke at URI Honors Colloquium 2011- 2012 – Looking for better way to treat brain problems More specific targeting Fewer permanent effects

4. An On/Off Switch Neurons firing as normal (left) – When hit with light, they either are temporarily deactivated (as shown) or stimulated, depending on what sort of gene therapy they received

5. Process DNA is extracted from life form with natural photoreceptors – Bacteria, fungi, etc. Genetic code is implemented into a harmless virus which will target a specific set of cells Virus is introduced to brain Neurons develop photoreceptors like those of the original organism Neurons can now be activated or deactivated with light

6. Early Stages of Research Technology not being used on humans – Developed largely with mice Has been used to – Access reward center of brain – Remove learned fear reaction to stimulus – Restore vision

7. Works Cited [1] Boyden, Ed. (2011, March). Ed Boyden: A Light Switch for Neurons. [Video file]. Retrieved from [2] Chu, Jennifer. "Light Switches for Neurons" MIT Technology Review. MIT, 26 Mar. 2010. Web. 03 Apr. 2013.. [3] "Fall 2011 Honors Colloquium." Honors Colloquium. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Apr. 2013..