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posted by martyb on Thursday February 21 2019, @09:13PM   Printer-friendly
from the electric-universe dept.

Neuroscientists at Case Western Reserve University claim to have discovered a previously unknown mechanism for neuron communication. Using electric fields, neurons are able to activate other nearby neurons even when there is no physical connection between the cells. In one test, the scientists used a hippocampal slice of a mouse brain, and found that after cutting the slice in half and separating the pieces, they were able to induce a signal in one half which could bridge the gap and generate activity in the other.

AIUI, we've known the brain produces and can be influenced by electric fields for decades, so this doesn't seem particularly surprising, although it's still rather interesting if it helps to truly understand what's going on. Personally, I'm wondering if this will allow a brain-computer interface without drilling through the skull to implant electrodes... :)

Summary available at ScienceAlert.com
Research paper: Slow periodic activity in the longitudinal hippocampal slice can self‐propagate non‐synaptically by a mechanism consistent with ephaptic coupling


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  • (Score: 3, Touché) by JoeMerchant on Thursday February 21 2019, @11:18PM (1 child)

    by JoeMerchant (3937) on Thursday February 21 2019, @11:18PM (#804771)

    aligns all brain resonance to the same frequency

    When the whole brain is resonating at the same frequency, that's a grand mal seizure.

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  • (Score: 1) by Ethanol-fueled on Friday February 22 2019, @12:06AM

    by Ethanol-fueled (2792) on Friday February 22 2019, @12:06AM (#804791) Homepage

    Maybe it saved them from a Grand Mal.