A collection of cutting edge neuroscientists have boosted a monkeys cognitive skills by shining a light on their brains. This increase in primate brainpower is possible through the startling science of optogenetics.

Optogenetics is a new method of mapping and controlling neurological functions. And it sounds more than a little like sci-fi. A monkey's brain is injected with a virus. This virus delivers a light sensitive gene to a specific set of monkey neurons. When these neurons are exposed to a fluorescent light their cognitive functions are inhibited or boosted.

For the recent experiment monkeys were presented with a cursor on a screen and tasked with tracking the cursors movement. When they were optogenetically stimulated they completed the task much quicker than without. Unfortunately the experiment does require the monkey to wear a skull implant with LEDs inside their skull, bathing their brain with light in accordance with the desired experimental parameters.

The reality of what these monkeys are put through is pretty grim. And yet there is a greater cause to this experimentation. Optogenetics allows scientists very precise control over individual parts of the brain. Scientists can now explore brain functions with a greater resolution than is possible with any other method. To date experiments had been confined to rodent brains: optogenetics has been shown to control a mouses ability to recall memories. Now researchers know that primate brains (and thus our own grey matter) are similary amenable to optogenetic stimulation. The use of optogenetics for treating psychological trauma is just one possible application of this powerful scientific tool.