Researchers Developed First Ever High-Resolution Map of Brain Connectivity

Tracking brain activities is a challenging task. Researchers across the globe are attempting to develop various prototypes for the estimation. Now, a joint project between Google and the Janelia Research Campus has made a crucial discovery in brain mapping. They have released the biggest high-res map of brain connectivity until now. The researchers are providing a 3D model of around 25,000 fruit fly neurons through a wide variety of cell types. It also focuses on various regions of the brain. The team has achieved the feat by slicing sections of the fly’s brain into extremely thin slices. The researchers have used a scanning electron microscope to screen those sections with electron streams and stitch them again. The outcome is an advanced map with very little disturbances that it’s possible to map neurons via the brain.

The prototype is ground-breaking in the sector of connectomics. It utilizes comprehensive imaging techniques to plot the physical trails of the brain. As a result, the map, connectome, covers around a third of the brain of the fruit fly. So far, the roundworm C. elegans is the only organism that has had mapped its brain completely. On the other hand, connectomics has a composite image in the world of science. Experts say that it assists connect physical portions of the brain to particular activities, which is the main objective in neuroscience.

Notably, anyone can view and download the data. Even more, there exist papers both available and in transit explaining the work. Well, it could be a valuable resource of data for researchers seeking to comprehend fruit flies, particularly, or brain functionality broadly. During the trial, the team has focused on up to 25,000 neurons, including millions of chemical synapses. Thus, it needed composite imaging technology and in-depth machine learning algorithms. Researchers say also it is essential to tone down expectations. Even the map of such a colossal size depicts just a quarter of the 100,000 neurons in a particular fruit fly. Above all, the brains of most larger species are significantly more complex. Notably, around 86 million neurons would take considerably more work to track correctly.