Abstracts

Submitted by Sabrina Garcia, University of Pennsylvania 

Recent advancements in neurotechnologies have propelled our current understanding of the complex circuitry of the brain and the etiologies and possible treatments of numerous neuropathies. One such tool, optogenetics, presents a powerful method for targeting and manipulating individual neurons using light1. In this study, the viral vector AAV1-CaMKIIa-SwiChR++-eYFP was injected into the primate brain and its genetic cargo incorporated into target neurons. The SwiChR motif is an inhibitory opsin activated by blue light (437 nm) and deactivated with red light (635nm). As such, neurons expressing this opsin can be deactivated by blue light, and reactivated by red light. Through electrophysiology techniques, we are completing preliminary testing to ensure that the infected neurons respond as hypothesized to blue and red light stimulation. The applications of this research are most obvious when looking at neuropathies such as epilepsy where the electrical functioning of the brain is compromised. Through targeted light pulsation, individual neurons could be activated or inhibited in order to regulate misfiring events in neurological patients.