| Scientists at the University of Calgary have developed a neurochip that "communicates" with brain cells. By monitoring the electrical and chemical dialogue between brain cells using the microchip, scientists could eventually test drugs to treat several neurological conditions (such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson') accurately and quickly. |  |
“This technical breakthrough means we can track subtle changes in brain activity at the level of ion channels and synaptic potentials, which are also the most suitable target sites for drug development in neurodegenerative diseases and neuropsychological disorders,” says Syed, who led the team of researchers.
The new neurochips are also automated, meaning that anyone can learn to place individual brain cells on them. Previously it took years of training to learn how to record ion channel activity from brain cells, and it was only possible to monitor one or two cells simultaneously. Now, larger networks of cells can be placed on a chip and observed in minute detail, allowing the analysis of several brain cells networking and performing automatic, large-scale drug screening for various brain dysfunctions.
This new technology can help scientists in a variety of fields and on a variety of research projects.
Gerald Zamponi, professor and head of the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, and member of the Hotchkiss Brain Institute, says, “This technology can likely be scaled up such that it will become a novel tool for medium throughput drug screening, in addition to its usefulness for basic biomedical research.”
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