Unlocking the brain's secrets with light
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The 2026 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded to three scientists for their contributions to optogenetics, a technique that uses light to control the activity of specific nerve cells. The research builds on the discovery of light-sensitive proteins in algae, which use light to help them respond to their environment. This method has helped researchers better understand how brain circuits work and how they influence movement, memory, and behavior. Optogenetics has become an important tool in neuroscience research, offering new ways to study neurological and psychiatric conditions such as Parkinson's disease, epilepsy, and depression.
Source
Georg Nagel et al. ,Channelrhodopsin-1: A Light-Gated Proton Channel in Green Algae.Science296,2395-2398(2002).DOI:10.1126/science.1072068
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