Controlling the Brain with Light

We’ve seen many advances in remarkable treatments for psychiatric diseases, but so far the majority conclusion is that the side effects are too great. But Karl Deisseroth is pioneering a new treatment through biomedical engineering: light pulses.

Yes, Deisseroth can control neural activity by sending pulses of light into the brain. Just watch the amazing footage he shows of controlling the direction a mouse moves in by the pulse of a light.

Deisseroth is an Associate Professor of Bioengineering, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University. He was educated at Stanford and Harvard.

The new treatment raises some important questions though. If we now have the ability to control our drives, what are the implications of this? With this new treatment comes a new responsibility.

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