• Home
  • About
  • Blog
  • Advertise
  • Contact
No Result
View All Result
Ideasgist
NEWSLETTER
  • Home
  • MediaHot
  • Education
    • School
    • Jamb
    • University
    • Polytechnic
    • College of Education
  • TechnologyNew
  • NewsTrending
    • Politics
    • local
    • world
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
    • Media
  • Lifestyle
  • More Topics
    • Business
    • Banking
    • Telecom
    • Job
  • Home
  • MediaHot
  • Education
    • School
    • Jamb
    • University
    • Polytechnic
    • College of Education
  • TechnologyNew
  • NewsTrending
    • Politics
    • local
    • world
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
    • Media
  • Lifestyle
  • More Topics
    • Business
    • Banking
    • Telecom
    • Job
No Result
View All Result
Ideasgist
No Result
View All Result
Home Tech

AI-Designed Serotonin Sensor May Help Scientists Study Sleep, Mental Health

by Temiloluwa Kolapo
December 26, 2020
in Tech
Reading Time: 3min read
A A
AI-Designed Serotonin Sensor May Help Scientists Study Sleep, Mental Health

In an article in Cell, National Institutes of Health-funded researchers described how they used advanced genetic engineering techniques to transform a bacterial protein into a new research tool that may help monitor serotonin transmission with greater fidelity than current methods.

BC4E239C DB7D 4976 AA2A EF719DE816CF

Preclinical experiments, primarily in mice, showed that the sensor could detect subtle, real-time changes in brain serotonin levels during sleep, fear, and social interactions, as well as test the effectiveness of new psychoactive drugs.


The study was funded, in part, by the NIH”s Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies (BRAIN) Initiative which aims to revolutionize our understanding of the brain under healthy and disease conditions.

The study was led by researchers in the lab of Lin Tian, PhD, principal investigator at the University of California Davis School of Medicine. Current methods can only detect broad changes in serotonin signaling. In this study, the researchers transformed a nutrient-grabbing, Venus flytrap-shaped bacterial protein into a highly sensitive sensor that fluorescently lights up when it captures serotonin.

AlsoRead:

Signal App Getting Features That Mimic WhatsApp Experience

Twitter Locks China’s US Embassy Account Over Xinjiang Policy-Related Tweet

Google Asks US Judge To Move States’ Antitrust Lawsuit To California

Previously, scientists in the lab of Loren L. Looger, PhD, Howard Hughes Medical Institute Janelia Research Campus, Ashburn, Virginia, used traditional genetic engineering techniques to convert the bacterial protein into a sensor of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine.

The protein, called OpuBC, normally snags the nutrient choline, which has a similar shape to acetylcholine. For this study, the Tian lab worked with Dr. Looger”s team and the lab of Viviana Gradinaru, Ph.D., Caltech, Pasadena, California, to show that they needed the added help of artificial intelligence to completely redesign OpuBC as a serotonin catcher.


The researchers used machine learning algorithms to help a computer ”think up” 250,000 new designs. After three rounds of testing, the scientists settled on one. Initial experiments suggested that the new sensor reliably detected serotonin at different levels in the brain while having little or no reaction to other neurotransmitters or similarly shaped drugs.

Experiments in mouse brain slices showed that the sensor responded to serotonin signals sent between neurons at synaptic communications points. Meanwhile, experiments on cells in petri dishes suggested that the sensor could effectively monitor changes in these signals caused by drugs, including cocaine, MDMA (also known as ecstasy) and several commonly used antidepressants.

Finally, experiments in mice showed that the sensor could help scientists study serotonin neurotransmission under more natural conditions. For instance, the researchers witnessed an expected rise in serotonin levels when mice were awake and a fall as mice fell asleep.


They also spotted a greater drop when the mice eventually entered the deeper, R.E.M. sleep states. Traditional serotonin monitoring methods would have missed these changes. In addition, the scientists saw serotonin levels rise differently in two separate brain fear circuits when mice were warned of a foot shock by a ringing bell.

In one circuit – the medial prefrontal cortex – the bell triggered serotonin levels to rise fast and high whereas in the other – the basolateral amygdala – the transmitter crept up to slightly lower levels.

In the spirit of the BRAIN Initiative, the researchers plan to make the sensor readily available to other scientists. They hope that it will help researchers gain a better understanding of the critical role serotonin plays in our daily lives and in many psychiatric conditions.


Follow Ideasgist Now on Facebook and Twitter. Also join in for Latest News, Tech News, Media and lot more.

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER





Tags: Ai
ShareTweetSendShare
Previous Post

FG Orders Universities To Suspend Academic Activities Over COVID-19

Next Post

Zoom Update Brings Apple Silicon Support

Temiloluwa Kolapo

Temiloluwa Kolapo

Related Posts

No Content Available
Load More
Next Post
Zoom Update Brings Apple Silicon Support

Zoom Update Brings Apple Silicon Support

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
How to block your bank account with code if ATM card is stolen

How to block your bank account with code if ATM card is stolen

November 24, 2020

FRESHERS: How To Check Your Matriculation Number

May 3, 2019
How to block your bank account with code if ATM card is stolen

How to pay for subscription (DSTV, GOTV) with GTBank

December 1, 2020
mapoly

MAPOLY: How to retrieve your portal password (Aspirant)

January 3, 2021

Survival Fund: FG Opens Portal For Teachers

September 22, 2020
Lucky Man Wins N506 Million Lottery, Shortly After His Girlfriend Dumped Him

Lucky Man Wins N506 Million Lottery, Shortly After His Girlfriend Dumped Him

January 20, 2021
Ahmed Musa Builds Sport Centre In Kaduna (photos)

Ahmed Musa Builds Sport Centre In Kaduna (photos)

December 21, 2020
FG To Pay 24 Million Poor Nigerians N5,000 Each

FG To Pay 24 Million Poor Nigerians N5,000 Each

January 20, 2021
Uganda Election: Bobi Wine Rejects Results, Declares Himself “President-Elect”

Uganda Election: Bobi Wine Rejects Results, Declares Himself “President-Elect”

January 15, 2021
Police Deny Negligence In David’s Death, Say Young Engineer Was Already Dead When They Found Him

Police Deny Negligence In David’s Death, Say Young Engineer Was Already Dead When They Found Him

January 19, 2021
Frank Lampard: Chelsea Set To Sack Manager After 18 Months In Charge

Frank Lampard Releases Statement After Chelsea Sacking

January 25, 2021
Why I Terminated Ola Dips’ Contract – Reminisce

Why I Terminated Ola Dips’ Contract – Reminisce

January 25, 2021
Covid-19: 13 Corps Members Test Positive In Cross Rivers

Covid-19: 13 Corps Members Test Positive In Cross Rivers

January 25, 2021
Apostle Suleman Had Sex With Faith Edeko, My Wife – Pastor Mike Davids Petitions

Apostle Suleman Had Sex With Faith Edeko, My Wife – Pastor Mike Davids Petitions

January 25, 2021
Abramovich To Appoint Tuchel As Lampard’s Chelsea Successor

Abramovich To Appoint Tuchel As Lampard’s Chelsea Successor

January 25, 2021
UPDATE! Chelsea Football Club Parted Company With Head Coach Frank Lampard

UPDATE! Chelsea Football Club Parted Company With Head Coach Frank Lampard

January 25, 2021
Miyetti Allah: Arrest Igboho Now. He Is Not More Powerful Than The Whole Country

Miyetti Allah: Arrest Igboho Now. He Is Not More Powerful Than The Whole Country

January 25, 2021
Frank Lampard: Chelsea Set To Sack Manager After 18 Months In Charge

Frank Lampard: Chelsea Set To Sack Manager After 18 Months In Charge

January 25, 2021
Dangote Sues American Mistress For Exposing His Buttocks Online

Dangote Sued Me For Declining His Silence Money – Alleged Ex-lover

January 25, 2021
Union Bank’s Principal Owner ‘considering Sale Of 50% Stake’

Union Bank’s Principal Owner ‘considering Sale Of 50% Stake’

January 24, 2021
Facebook Instagram Twitter Youtube

An online media website for latest news and updates in Technology, Business, Education, Sports, Politics, Entertainment, Health, Fashion...and many more.

About

  • Advertise
  • Contact
  • Newsletter

Quick Links

  • Privacy
  • Terms of Use
  • DMCA

Ideasgist © 2021 - Website designed by Ideasbeams.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Media
  • Education
    • School
    • Jamb
    • University
    • Polytechnic
    • College of Education
  • Technology
  • News
    • Politics
    • local
    • world
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
    • Media
  • Lifestyle
  • More Topics
    • Business
    • Banking
    • Telecom
    • Job

Ideasgist © 2021 - Website designed by Ideasbeams.

Are you sure want to unlock this post?
Unlock left : 0
Are you sure want to cancel subscription?