In a groundbreaking development, scientists at the University of California San Diego have successfully grown artificial mini-brains with functioning neural networks similar to those of a human fetus. While the organoids are not capable of conscious thought, they could be used to study the brain and develop new treatments for diseases such as autism.
Understanding the development and processes of the brain has long been a challenge for scientists. With animal models and brain scans of humans not providing the desired progress, neurologists worldwide have been attempting to grow artificial brains in the lab from human stem cells. The University of Vienna achieved some success in this area in 2013, and since then, it has become possible to grow artificial brains with cells that exchange information and have a structure similar to that of a human brain. However, until now, none of these organoids had functioning neural networks.
The researchers at the University of California San Diego used induced pluripotent stem cells, which can develop into various cell types in the body, to grow the mini-brains. By changing the nutrient solution and other factors, the scientists were able to achieve a higher level of maturity in the organoids than in previous studies. They then monitored the brainwaves of hundreds of the artificial brains for ten months to investigate the impact of the improved growing conditions on brain activity. The first brainwaves were detected after about two months, but they were irregular and interrupted by pauses with no activity. This pattern is similar to the early development of the human brain, where pauses become shorter until the brain is continuously active.
The development of these artificial mini-brains could lead to a better understanding of brain-related diseases and the development of new treatments. However, the scientists emphasize that the organoids are still a simplified model of a human brain and cannot consciously think.
