Kimberlee D'Ardenne – The Conversation

Optogenetics is illuminating the inner workings of the brain. akinbostanci/iStock via Getty Images Plus

October 5, 2026

Optogenetics wins the Nobel – one neuroscience breakthrough in a line of technological innovations helping scientists map and control the brain

Kimberlee D'Ardenne, Arizona State University

Neuroscientific advances follow a pattern of visualizing the brain, measuring its function and then controlling it. Optogenetics may lead to a new era of medical treatment.

A better understanding of dopamine could lead to better treatments for neurodegenerative and neurodevelopmental diseases, among others. Kateryna Kon/Science Photo Library via Getty Images

September 18, 2023

Dopamine is a brain chemical famously linked to mood and pleasure − but researchers have found multiple types of dopamine neurons with different functions

Kimberlee D'Ardenne, Arizona State University

From dopamine hacking to dopamine detoxes, some people have sought to harness this brain chemical to improve their mood and productivity. But it’s far more complicated than that.

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