NEW DELHI: Scientists from the Institute of Nano Science and Technology (INST), an autonomous institute of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), have developed a special nanomaterial that can “talk” to neurons naturally.
The discovery could transform treatment for brain disorders, said the team.
The special nanomaterial called graphitic carbon nitride (g-C₃N₄) can stimulate brain cells -- without the need for electrodes, lasers, or magnets.
The findings, published in the journal ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces, demonstrate that graphitic carbon nitride helps neurons grow, mature, and communicate more effectively by tapping into the brain’s own electrical activity.
“This is the first demonstration of semiconducting nanomaterials directly modulating neurons without external stimulation, ” said Dr. Manish Singh, who led the study from INST.
“It opens new therapeutic avenues for neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s, ” Singh added.
The material also boosted dopamine production in lab-grown brain-like cells and reduced toxic proteins linked to Parkinson’s disease in animal models.