Great breakthrough: manipulating neuron through with light

Recently, a group of researchers at the University of Oxford induced the external decoding of associative memory in mammals for the first time. Researchers published an article in the journal Nature Neurosciencel, describing how they induced the formation of associative memory in the test mice, as well as the technology they used to record it and the memory is deleted.

When scientists continue to study the brain, they are to learn more information about "approach of storing or eliminating memory". Just two years ago, a team from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) found that they could make the formation of mice's brain memory, thereby forcing it to remember things that had never happened. In this new study, researchers have found a way to let the mice stop to make connection between a certain room and a pleasant experience - a way of recording associative memory.

These experiments include: firstly, the researchers made the mice to have associative memory by placing a small amount of cocaine in the room. After a very short time, comparing with another room only provided with salt liquor, the mice were more willing to stay in the room with a little cocaine. Next, the researchers confirmed the place cells which was related to the pleasant memory in the hippocampus of mice. This allowed them to modify the genes turn the cells into light-sensitive cells. The researchers inserted the fiber-optic cable into the brain regions and opened it. At the same time, they allowed the mice entered the room with cocaine for another time. They found that the mice didn't like the room any longer - the associative memory had disappeared. They also found that other play cells became active, which may lead to the condition that the mice created a new cognitive map unconsciously, and it had no relation with the room of pleasant memory.

The research team said this is the first time that they use external technque to re-encode the memory of mammalian. They pointed out that this also confirms what is the so-called memory trace theory. This theory holds the view that memory is stored biophysically by organisms, and it emerges due to the biochemical changes in the brain region.

Light genetics makes it possible to manipulate neurons by light and this technology was named in the list of major advancements in The Scientist selection in 2015. Scientists read their activies bu combining genetic controlling neurons and Optogenetics and they are continuing to improve the technology. Some studies have been conducted to manipulate memory using this techology of Optogenetics.

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