Chemogenetics reaches human trials: engineering new knobs for the brain
The race to engineer new knobs for the human brain
Chemogenetics, a technique that makes neurons controllable by normally inert drugs, has entered human clinical trials—seven are underway in China, targeting pain, Parkinson's disease, and epilepsy. This post unpacks how DREADDs (designer receptors exclusively activated by designer drugs) work, why they're a promising but still imprecise tool, and what the first trials reveal about the technology's current limits and future potential. It also examines the choice of clozapine as the activator drug, its risks, and the path toward safer, more precise next-generation therapies.
As they say in AI circles, this is the worst that it’s ever going to be, and the future is bright.
- commieneko
Nothing terrifying about _that_ title ...
- seydor
chemo/optogenetics have been used for decades to erase memories, change valence of memories, generate memories .... usually fear memories .. in mice.
- fxtentacle
"VCs in the US are too big now — only social media (prev) or Al (now) have the scale they want."
I agree.