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A team of researchers has created the first functional 3D-printed brain tissue to examine the brain’s function and study various neurological disorders.

The first functional 3D-printed brain tissue has been developed to examine the human brain’s function and study various neurological disorders.

According to experts at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, printed tissue can “grow and function like typical brain tissue.”

Continue reading “First functional human brain tissue produced through 3D printing” »

As Neuralink makes strides, China’s MIIT unveils a tech roadmap, aiming to be the leader in brain-computer interfaces by 2027.

Tech billionaire Elon Musk says his Neuralink company has successfully implanted one of its wireless brain chips in a human for the first time.

A team of University of Wisconsin–Madison scientists has developed the first 3D-printed brain tissue that can grow and function like typical brain tissue.

It’s an achievement with important implications for scientists studying the brain and working on treatments for a broad range of neurological and neurodevelopmental disorders, such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.

“This could be a hugely powerful model to help us understand how brain cells and parts of the brain communicate in humans,” says Su-Chun Zhang, professor of neuroscience and neurology at UW–Madison’s Waisman Center. “It could change the way we look at stem cell biology, neuroscience, and the pathogenesis of many neurological and psychiatric disorders.”

The rare condition posterior cortical atrophy (PCA) involves strange, troubling issues with vision and spatial awareness – including difficulty judging distances, seeing movement, and recognizing objects – and a new study highlights its close relationship to Alzheimer’s disease in more detail than ever before.

PCA and Alzheimer’s have long been linked with each other, because they share a lot of the same pathological changes in the brain. However, the rarity of PCA has made it hard for researchers to fully assess it in relation to Alzheimer’s.

To address that, an international team of researchers analyzed data on 1,092 individuals with PCA, finding that it was a very strong predictor for Alzheimer’s: in 94 percent of cases, tell-tale Alzheimer’s brain changes were observed, and were most likely contributing to PCA.

Summary: Researchers developed the world’s first 3D-printed brain tissue that grows and behaves similarly to natural brain tissue, marking a significant leap forward for neurological and neurodevelopmental disorder research.

This novel 3D-printing technique uses a horizontal layering approach and a softer bio-ink, allowing neurons to interconnect and form networks akin to human brain structures.

The ability to precisely control cell types and arrangements provides unparalleled opportunities to study brain functions and disorders in a controlled environment, offering new avenues for drug testing and understanding brain development and diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

“Connectomes” among species provide chip-design inspiration.

The recently published tech policy document by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology reflects their dedication to fostering innovation and development in future industries. The roadmap emphasizes the importance of forward-looking planning, policy guidance, and cultivating new quality productive forces to support the country’s aspirations for global technological leadership.

The race for supremacy in brain-computer interfaces intensifies as the world watches China’s technological journey unfold. With Neuralink marking its milestones, China’s bold ambitions signal a new era of competition in the ever-evolving landscape of cutting-edge technologies.

The question now is not just about who will lead the race but what groundbreaking innovations lie ahead for humanity.

Some human neurons take years to reach maturity; an epigenetic ‘brake’ could be responsible.