Pictured: Gene delivery by a recombinant virus vehicle (shown in cyan) on a human brain slice
A potential new treatment for epilepsy that uses light pulses to stop seizure-like activity in brain cells was recently discovered by a team of researchers and published in Nature Neuroscienceon November 15.
The team, including researchers from UC Berkeley’s College of Chemistry, introduced a method called optogenetics, which uses a harmless virus to distribute light-sensitive genes into specific brain cells, allowing those cells to be turned “on” and “off” with light pulses. The study used brain tissue taken from epilepsy patients during their treatment.
David Schaffer, Ph.D., a biomolecular engineer, was responsible for identifying the virus to transfer the genes, ensuring the specific neurons the team was targeting would be affected.
The team’s goal is to eventually use this light-based technique as an alternative to surgery, which currently involves removing the part of the brain where seizures start. This would offer a less invasive option for patients whose seizures can't be controlled with medication.
This is the first illustration that shows that optogenetics can control seizure activity in living human brain tissue, paving the way for new treatments for other neurological disorders.