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Quantum diamond sensor used to measure neuron activity in mouse tissue

The activity of neurons has been measured in a slice of mouse tissue using a quantum diamond sensor – and it might one day enable a new type of non-invasive brain scanning

By Alex Wilkins

12 September 2022

A section of a mouse brain viewed on a slide

A diamond sensor was used to measure nerve activity on a slice of a mouse brain like this

Stu Gray/Alamy

A brain-recording device with a quantum diamond sensor has been used to measure neural activity in mouse brain tissue. The device is less accurate than standard brain-imaging techniques, but if it can be improved, it could be useful for non-invasive brain scanning.

The most common technique to study how neurons interact with each other is to directly measure their electrical signal, typically by inserting tiny wires into a tissue sample. But this method might alter neural activity, confusing the picture…

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