Monkey brain cells boosted by light therapy in a new study

A new technique called optogenetics to control the mind has shown progress in a new study.

The technique uses genetically modified neurons that fire light via a virus into the brain cells, activating or deactivating parts of the brain.

According to the Boston Globe, the team looked at two monkeys and found that they responded more quickly a visual prompt when the light therapy was used on their brain.

"For the first time, we were able to change behaviour in primates with our technique," said study author Wim Vanduffel of Massachusetts General Hospital,reported Technology Review.

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According to the New Scientist, optogenetics, less than a decade old, is believed to be a revolutionary advancement.

Researchers say that the breakthrough brings us one step closer to new therapy options for people with a range of diseases such as seizures or Parkinson's.

"[Optogenetics] may also become useful in the far future for therapeutic purposes, because if you can activate or deactivate very specific cell types, you can actually target particularly circuitries that are important in different diseases with much more precision than is possible at this moment with drugs or [electrical] stimulation," says Vanduffel, according to Science Daily. 

Prior studies have been done on the light therapy technique to bring back memories in mice.

The study was published in the journal Current Biology.