This neuron (brain cell) has been filled with a bright fluorescent marker, which allows us to see it amongst the sea of hundreds of neurons which surround it. Using very precise electrodes, an electrical current is sent into the cell and travels along it. This technique lets us connect to individual neurons in a living brain and record how this signal travels, as well as how this information is processed by the neuron.

Dr Vyas is a postdoctoral neuroscientist at the Neurocentre Magendie France. Her research looks into therapeutic strategies for neurodevelopmental disorders like autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Using techniques like this allows her to study how neurons and their related structures function differently in a neurotypical individual, compared to an individual with disorders like ASD.