What is chemogenetics?

Chemogenetics is a biological technology that uses genetically modified receptors (receptors that do not naturally occur in the organism) to activate specific neurons in the brain or other cells in the body using synthetic drugs. It is commonly used in neuroscience research to study the function of specific neuronal populations and circuits by remotely controlling their activity. Unlike optogenetics, chemogenetics does not require invasive implantation of optical fibers, making it suitable for studies where less invasive techniques are preferred. A common example is using DREADDs (Designer Receptors Exclusively Activated by Designer Drugs) which are modified human muscarinic receptors that are activated by synthetic ligands such as CNO (clozapine-N-oxide).