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It was recently learned that there is some enchanting information regarding fiber optic lights and the brain. Yes, the information is referring to the same type of fiber optic lights which are often used in holiday decorations and signs. Researchers have recently developed a way to literally light up the brain by threading fiber optic lights through the skull. Lighting up the brain is technically known as optogenetics and researchers are hopeful that this new technology will give them new information about the brain.

There are several diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Epilepsy and Parkinson’s that doctors and researchers know very little about. Those who study the brain touch on that drugs which are currently used to treat diseases of the brain end up treating the whole brain and not just the specific problem areas. Drugs and chemicals that are given to a patient end up flooding the whole brain and that can cause serious consequences.

Optogenetics is not a technique that will be used on humans anytime soon however. The current stage of the study only has results based on testing performed on worms, monkeys, rats and flies. Researchers believe that human testing and use will not be available for at least another five years. Even so, the testing on mice has proved hopeful that the technique will be useful in patients diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.

In technical terms, optogenetics works by honing in on certain areas of the brain’s nerve cells or neurons. It is thought that nerve cells control memory, speech, muscles and motions. Neurons work by sending out electrical spikes or messages that give other neurons information and to control muscle movement.

While optogenetics may sound like a completely new technique, it is actually derived from techniques which have been used since the 1990’s. Doctors can currently perform a technique where they thread electrical into the skull and through the brain. By doing this, the neurons are provided with an electrical current which stimulates those with severe brain diseases. A company called Medtronic also sells a device which is considered a pacemaker for the brain. This device is currently implanted in around 30,000 patients but comes with a hefty price tag of $80,000. By having the implant, Parkinson’s patients have receive reduced symptoms. The implant does not come without possibly dangerous side effects however, as some patients report that the brain zaps can make them fall and instances of depression have also become a concern.

Optogenetic research has shown that the brain cells that are responsible for Parkinson’s disease are actually located on the surface of the brain and not deep down in the brain as once thought. Even though significant research has been done on flies, rats, monkeys and worms, safety and health concerns will keep optogenetics from becoming a real world possibility for patients for a long while. Even after approval is obtained for human use, some patients may consider the technique to be too sci-fi to consider it. While there are pros and cons of this medical treatment, optogenetics may pave a way for future medical trends.