Science · 2026-10-29 · Afternoon briefing

Brain rewiring tools successfully alter animal behaviour

Neuroscientists have developed techniques to physically edit the connections in living brains, moving beyond merely controlling their activity. Where previous methods like optogenetics were akin to managing traffic on existing roads, these new tools can add or delete the roads themselves. The techniques have been used to change animal behaviour and implant memories in laboratory settings.

Recent studies demonstrate the tools' potential. Researchers at Duke University used the technique to reduce pathological grooming in mice, a behaviour reminiscent of OCD, by introducing new synapses to bypass a faulty neural circuit. Separately, a team at the University of Southern California created a toolkit that can selectively delete either excitatory or inhibitory synapses using light or chemicals.

The ultimate aim is to develop treatments for psychiatric conditions such as PTSD, schizophrenia, and OCD. Further refinements are emerging, including a more precise synapse-deleting tool from South Korea's Institute for Basic Science called SynTrogo, which recruits the brain's own pruning cells. As one researcher noted, having tools to both add and remove connections means "You have a gas pedal, but now you also have brakes."

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