Research team develops novel system to track brain chemicals

Researchers at UCLA and Columbia University have developed a novel method for tracking the activity of small molecules in the brain, including the neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine. Pairing tiny artificial receptors with semiconductor devices that are able to function in living tissue, the team was able to observe brain chemicals at a high level of detail. Understanding the fundamentals of how neurotransmission occurs will help us understand not only how our brains work, but what's going on in psychiatric disorders. In order to move forward with dramatically better treatments, we need to understand how we encode information about anxiety or mood—processes that can go awry, sometimes with devastating consequences.

For more details click here.