October 12, 2022

expert reaction to study in which human and mouse neurons in a dish learned to play the video game, Pong

A study published in Neuron suggests in vitro neurons are able to learn and exhibit sentience when embodied in a simulated game-world.

Prof Tara Spires-Jones, UK Dementia Research Institute Programme Lead and Deputy Director, Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, said:

“In this paper, Kagan and colleagues from the biotech company Cortical Labs grew brain cells in a dish and provided them electrical stimulation and feedback based on the arcade game “Pong”.  The neuron networks growing in the dish changed their firing patterns to respond to the virtual ball based on the electrical stimulation patterns.  This is robustly conducted, interesting neuroscience confirming that neurons in a dish form networks that can change their firing based on electrical input and feedback.  This is super cool, but the results are not a surprise since this is how neuronal networks in the brain work to enable learning and adapting to sensory input. This type of computer interface with neurons in a dish will be useful for studying the underlying principles neural circuit function.  Don’t worry, while these dishes of neurons can change their responses based on stimulation, they are not SciFi style intelligence in a dish, these are simple (albeit interesting and scientifically important) circuit responses.”

‘In vitro neurons learn and exhibit sentience when embodied in a simulated game-world’ by Brett J. Kagan et al. was published in Neuron at 16:00 UK Time Wednesday 12 October 2022.

DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2022.09.001

Declared interests

Prof Tara Spires-Jones: “I have no conflicts with this study.”