Key points from article :
Researchers have programmed and deprogrammed mice to socially interact with one another in real time.
A first-of-its-kind ultraminiature, wireless, battery-free and implantable device uses light to activate neurons.
"We now have the technology to investigate how bonds form and break between individuals..," - John A. Rogers, co-lead researcher.
Device rests on the skull but beneath the skin and fur of a small animal.
A fine, flexible filamentary probe with LEDs extends into the brain.
Researchers operate the light with a user interface on computer.
"Optogenetics could someday soon be used to fix blindness or reverse paralysis," - Yevgenia Kozorovitskiy, co-lead researcher.
Synchronously activated neurons in a brain region to increase the frequency & duration of social interactions.
Desynchronizing the stimulation decreased interactions in the same pair of mice.
Could bias an arbitrarily chosen pair to interact more than others.
Study by Northwestern University published in Nature Neuroscience.
