Scientists just published the most detailed map of a cubic millimeter of the human brain.
Like tracing wires of a computer, mapping components of the brain and their connections can improve our understanding of how the brain works-and when and why it goes wrong.
A brain map that charts the jungle inside our heads could help us tackle some of the most perplexing neurological disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease, and decipher the origins of emotions, thoughts, and behaviors.
Aided by machine learning tools from Google Research, the Harvard team traced neurons, blood vessels, and other brain cells at nanoscale levels.
Some chart gene expression in brain cells; others map different cell types across the brain.
In the new study, scientists mapped a cubic millimetre of human brain tissue from the temporal cortex-a nexus that’s important for memory, emotions, and sensations.
Brain organoids-“Mini-brains” grown in test tubes-somewhat resemble the brain’s architecture, but they can’t replicate the real thing.