CAMBRIDGE, MA – A groundbreaking collaboration between Harvard University and Google has resulted in a significant advancement in brain science. Scientists have successfully created a detailed 3D map of a small section of the human brain, shedding light on intricate neural connections and paving the way for mapping the entire brain of a mouse.
Although a cubic millimeter of brain tissue may seem insignificant, it actually contains a complex network of 57,000 cells, 230 millimeters of blood vessels, and 150 million synapses, translating to a vast amount of data equal to 1,400 terabytes. Led by Harvard professor Jeff Lichtman, researchers from Harvard and Google have achieved an extraordinary feat by producing the largest synaptic-resolution, 3D reconstruction of a human brain fragment, revealing precise details of each cell’s neural connections in a portion of the human temporal cortex.
This impressive accomplishment, published in the journal Science, is the product of nearly a decade-long collaboration between Harvard and Google Research. By combining electron microscopy imaging with AI algorithms, researchers have color-coded and reconstructed the intricate wiring of mammal brains. The ultimate objective of this collaboration, supported by the National Institutes of Health BRAIN Initiative, is to develop a high-resolution map of the neural connectivity in a complete mouse brain, which would entail processing data approximately 1,000 times greater than that of the human cortex fragment they have just mapped.
The latest brain map published in Science offers unprecedented insights into brain structure, highlighting unique sets of axons connected by multiple synapses and peculiar tissue formations, such as extensive axon whorls. As the field of connectomics strives to create comprehensive catalogs of brain structure akin to genomics, this detailed mapping could lead to new understandings of brain function and diseases that are still largely unknown to scientists.
Google’s advanced AI algorithms have made it possible to reconstruct and map brain tissue in three dimensions. Additionally, a suite of tools has been developed for public use by researchers to examine and annotate the connectome. Moving forward, the team plans to focus on mapping the mouse hippocampal formation, which plays a vital role in memory and neurological disorders.
The significant investment made in this project underscores the importance of sharing the results for the benefit of the scientific community. By making the research findings accessible, the team aims to inspire further discoveries in the field of neuroscience. With the potential to unlock new insights into brain function and diseases, this collaborative effort represents a major leap forward in understanding the complexities of the human brain and beyond.