Scientists influenced a fly's brain and controlled it remotely

Scientists influenced a fly's brain and controlled it remotely

Researchers at Rice University in Houston, USA, demonstrated a method to "hack" the brains of fruit flies (Drosophila) and control them remotely. After a command was sent to specific neurons in the flies' brains, they performed the desired action within one second.

Scientists introduced iron oxide nanoparticles, which heat up under the influence of a magnetic field, into the flies' brains. In this way, their genes were modified. The experiment was conducted in a special enclosure — a chamber with an electromagnet installed underneath and a video camera mounted on top.

For control, the researchers used an ion channel in the neurons that is sensitive to the rate of temperature change. While the flies were crawling inside the chamber, the magnetic field was altered. As a result, the nanoparticles heated up and activated the target neurons. The video camera recorded that the genetically modified flies partially spread their wings half a second after the signal. This movement is typically a mating signal in these creatures.

"Controlling selected neural circuits remotely using magnetic fields is a major goal of neurotechnology. Our work is a significant step forward in studying the brain," said study author Jacob Robinson.

The team is currently working on methods to restore vision in humans by remotely stimulating the brain. The authors hope that this technology, which activates specific areas, will become the basis for treating many diseases, including neurological disorders, without surgery.

It will also help in creating wireless earbuds that establish a direct connection between the brain and a computer. The scientists note that to achieve the accuracy of the brain's natural signals, the response time needs to be reduced to a few hundredths of a second.