title: Shining new light on the brain.
abstract: Optogenetics - a new methodology that involves expression of light-responsive proteins in specific groups of neurons, which can then be activated with light - has only been around for six years, but some researchers are already using it to target big psychiatric questions. Michael Gross reports.
authors.affiliation: Oxford, UK.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gross
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology; D001775:Blood Circulation; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D000075402:Channelrhodopsins; D025602:Halorhodopsins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008027:Light; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology; D051379:Mice; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D009488:Neurosciences / Q000379:methods*; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000378:metabolism; D012903:Smell
chemical_list: D000075402:Channelrhodopsins; D025602:Halorhodopsins