The most comprehensive human brain map ever generated has been revealed by Harvard and Google.
With a focus on a cubic millimetre of the cerebral cortex taken from a patient who underwent epilepsy surgery in 2014, Harvard University and Google have presented the most detailed map of human brain connections that has ever been generated.A perspective of the wiring of the brain that has never been seen before is provided by this ground-breaking project.
In the course of the comprehensive investigation, a tiny tissue sample was utilised, which had around 57,000 cells and 150 million synapses.
Heavy metals were employed by the researchers to dye the tissue, after which they embedded it in resin and sliced it into incredibly thin slices.
To create a three-dimensional model from the two-dimensional photographs, these slices were analysed with machine learning algorithms that were developed in collaboration with Google. A huge dataset measuring 1.4 petabytes was produced as a result of this approach.
The map that was produced provides in-depth insights into the cellular structure of the brain. It identifies neurones that have more than fifty connections, which was a feature that had been neglected in the past.
In spite of this, the project is confronted with difficulties such as the verification of enormous volumes of data and the resolution of discrepancies in cell architectures.
The brain map is now accessible to the general public, which paves the path for further investigation into mental health conditions as well as possible breakthroughs in artificial intelligence.