As a young Health

Economist
Optogenetics would
be that light based
innovation of this
century I would
encourage proposing
to promote for
sustainable
development in
Health sector due to
its specific, fast and
reversible treatment
regime in
maintaining both
physical and mental
health. It is an all in
one package of
maintaining health
that the world could
ever have imagined.

Optogenetics: A knight in a shining armor in the Health

care industry

The last 100 years of neuroscience have shown that

human brain is an incredibly densely wired computer
made out of billions of cells called neurons. Neurons
communicate with each other using both chemical and
electrical signals. When a neuron is activated by chemical
messengers it produces an electrical pulse that results in
similar chemical signals being sent to other neurons to
which it is connected.
Optogenetics is the study of combining optics and
genetics to control well- defined events within specific
cells of living tissue. The usual technique of neuron to
neuron communication is used either to stop or start a
certain behavior by implanting electrodes for deep brain
stimulation using protein particles that are sensitive to
light particles. It is also possible to vary the colors or
wavelength of light to cause different behavioral changes
in neuronal circuits.

The above procedure of modulating the brain and thus

specific diseases is advantageous and convincing as it is
specific, has no side effects and most importantly the
process is reversible. To put simply, if the brain is
directly stimulated not only the target neurons are set to
fire but also the others in vicinity are affected posing a
huge risk of side effects. On the contrary, using drugs are
much slower than electrodes to take effect. However, opotogenetics provides us the best of
both worlds: as specific as drugs and as fast as electrical stimulation. Interestingly, the
process is reversible that is, the same animal can be used both for experiment and control;
have we ever thought of taking a treatment regime for a fatal disease and if it does not
work trying other way out without having adverse effect or even without meeting death? Is
there a second chance in operating a stroke patient? Of course, the answer is no.

The highest potential of optogenetics is it facilitates us to understand the functioning of the

brain and sheds light in designing better treatments for brain related conditions. In near
future, benefits would pour in process of testing and developing drugs as well as

fundamental brain research leading to non-optogenetic therapies: the biggest contribution

of this technology in mental health.
Optogenetics could potentially improve treatments for mood and motor disorders as in
Parkinsons disease, tremor, anxiety, depression, addiction, obsessive-compulsive
disorders, epilepsy, Alzheimers disease, spinal cord injury or control of chronic pain. Also,
studies have shown that blue light can cure diabetes, minimize the risk of stroke or brain
hemorrhages and even have significant contributions in treating ischemic heart disease.
According to the World Health Organization, 38 million people every year have premature deaths due to non-communicable diseases occurring mostly in low and middle
income countries which is a clear threat to sustainable development and economic growth.
People in their productive years with NCDs and thus the disability imposed and the lives
lost are also endangering industry competitiveness across border. It also poses threat to the
achievements in UN Millennium Development Goals and post 2015 agenda. In low resource
setting, the lengthy, expensive health care costs for NCDs can quickly drain household
resources driving millions of families into poverty annually and stifling development.
The field of optogenetics is a radical and promising innovation of light science and
initiation on randomized clinical trials and proposing a separate optogenetic unit in
pharmaceutical industry is a must. Further research and concentration in this field would
be a knight in shining armor for the health care industry. The faster we progress in
biomedical research using this technology the more we will be in control of the impeding
factors to growth like NCD disease burden as well as poverty.
As a young Health Economist Optogenetics would be that light based innovation of this
century I would encourage proposing to promote for sustainable development in Health
sector due to its specific, fast and reversible treatment regime in maintaining both
physical and mental health. It is an all in one package of maintaining health that the world
could ever have imagined.