Scientists at Sweden’s Karolinska Institutet have built what they claim is a fully functional neuron by using organic bioelectronics. This artificial neuron mimics the function of a human nerve cell and communicates in the same way as neurons do.

Such a device could eventually be miniaturized and implantable, says lead investigator Agneta Richter-Dahlfors, Karolinska Institutet professor of cellular microbiology. The research objective: improve treatments for neurological disorders, which are currently limited to traditional electrical stimulation.