👆 How the experiment works: Both female mice were injected with magnetic nanoparticles into their brains, but different…

👆 How the experiment works: Both female mice were injected with magnetic nanoparticles into their brains, but different receptors and ion channels were introduced for control. The “green” mouse has mechanosensitive receptors on GABAergic neurons in the hypothalamus, while the “red” mouse does not. These particular cells trigger the maternal care pattern—if they are blocked, the female won’t pay attention to the pups.

When the magnets are activated, the particles start to ‘tickle’ the mechanosensitive receptors, thus activating the cells. By choosing where to express the receptors, you determine which behavior pattern you will induce. The authors successfully controlled feeding and social behaviors selectively and reversibly, influencing the motivation system in freely moving animals. This innovation comes from Korea’s IBS, and you can find more details here.

It’s worth noting that the approach using nanoparticles and magnetic fields was pioneered by Polina Anikeeva (Russia). Unsurprisingly, the Korean researchers reference her work. Polina graduated from Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University and, as of July, heads the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at MIT. 👏

P.S. Mechanosensitive channels can also be directly activated by ultrasound, bypassing the need for particles. A recent development from the University of Texas introduces a wearable miniature device for transcranial focused ultrasound stimulation. Weighing only 8.5 grams, it is compatible with EEG and simply attaches to the scalp.

These are just glimpses of what’s happening, and they already hint at the future.

@science