Optogenetics Reveals Relationship Between Brain and Gut Health
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., June 28, 2023 — The brain-gut connection is known to influence hunger and mood, and it has also been associated with neurological and other disorders. To explore the signaling that occurs between these two organs, scientists at MIT integrated light sources, thermal sensors, microelectronics, and microfluidics in a device that enables stable bioelectronic interfaces with the brain and gastrointestinal tract in mice. “To be able to perform gut optogenetics and then measure the effects on brain