A new study conducted by scientists from Salk Institute and published in Nature Communications found a method of controlling the brain cells of Caenorhabditis elegans worms using sound waves, according to Engadget. The scientists added a membrane ion channel to their neuron cells and shot ultrasonic sound waves at it, allowing them to change the worms direction using sound waves.
The TRP-4 protein, a membrane ion channel, was inserted into different kinds of neurons with various functions, according to Nature. Using this channel in conjunction will pulses of ultrasound, the worms were made to reverse direction, stop or make a sharp turn.
The results provide potential for an alternative to "optogenetics," a similar field of science that uses light instead of sound to achieve similar results, according to BBC News. However, light is less effective at penetrating tissues due to the fact that it scatters quickly.
"This could be a big advantage when you want to stimulate a region deep in the brain," said Stuart Ibsen, the study's first author.
It's not certain whether this technique will work in mammalian brain cells, but poses the potential for non-invasive techniques of manipulating the brain without electrodes. The scientists have begun testing on mice and plan on moving on to humans in the future.
"The real prize will be to see whether this could work in a mammalian brain," said Sreekanth Chalasani, who runs the Salk Institute lab where the research was conducted.
