New brain probe simultaneously records and controls neuron activity

A new breakthrough technology, co-developed by UCL scientists, that simultaneously records and manipulates neuron activity deep within the brain could transform our understanding of neural circuits and neurological conditions, such as Alzheimer's disease and schizophrenia.

The device, known as Neuropixels Opto and researched in mice, integrates two powerful but traditionally separate techniques – electrophysiology (the study of the electrical activity of living cells) and optogenetics (combining genetics and optics to control cells). They form a single probe, enabling unprecedented insight into how individual neurons in the brain function and interact.

Published in Nature Methods, the system allows researchers to monitor the electrical activity of hundreds of neurons while also selectively activating or silencing specific cells using light.

Developed by an international team, led by scientists at UCL and at the Allen Institute (Seattle, US), the research forms part of a £15 million project, funded by the Wellcome Trust, Allen Institute, and other partners, investigating Neuropixels probe technology.