These Microscopic Magnets Let You Remote Control the Brain
If you think remote control cars are fun, just wait until you hear this: Scientists have developed a way to remote control brain cells using magnets.
In a study published in the journal Advanced Science on Wednesday, a research team at the University College London found a way to attach tiny magnetic particles, or micromagnets, to brain cells called astrocytes. When a stronger magnet is waved overhead, the attached micromagnets essentially act as mechanical switches that encourage the star-shaped astrocytes to run specific functions, giving researchers some degree of control over the brain.
“Astrocytes are abundant in the brain and critical for keeping the brain healthy,” Yichao Yu, a neuroscientist at UCL and the study’s lead author, told The Daily Beast via email. “In recent years, their roles in regulating physiology, cognition, and behavior are also increasingly being recognized.”
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