See-through brains offer scientists a clearer view of disease

Summary:

The brain is now transparent! Scientists at Stanford University have reported that they have made a whole mouse brain, and part of a human brain, transparent, so that networks of neurons that receive and send information can be highlighted in stunning color and viewed in all their three-dimensional complexity without having to slice up the brain. That can be very dangerous for patients. This new research tool will help to accelerate investigations of Alzheimer’s, schizophrenia, post-traumatic stress disorder and a variety of other brain maladies. This has also led to a significant insight into the peculiar characteristics of neurons associated with Down syndrome and Autism. There have been other methods of making the brain transparent, however, this new method is unlike these other methods because it preserves the biochemistry of the brain so well that researchers can test it over and over again with chemicals that highlight specific structures within a brain and provide clues to its past activity. There is also the possibility of studying long-saved human brains. There are several ways to make tissue transparent. This new method is a substance called a hydrogel, a material that is mostly water held together by larger molecules to give it some solidity. Chung, one of the researchers, said the hydrogel formed a kind of mesh that permeates the brain and connects to most of the molecules, but not to the lipids, which include fats and some other substances. The brain is then put into a soapy solution and an electric current is applied. This drives the solution through the brain which washes out the lipids. Once these lipids are out the brain is transparent but it’s biochemistry remains intact. This will give doctors and scientist a much clearer view of what is happening to the brains of people infected with those horrible diseases.

Personal Reaction:

This article made me extremely hopeful for the future of brain research. I feel the brain is the most precious organ we have and when it is affected with things out of our control it breaks my heart. My grandmother had Alzheimers and it hurt my mom a great deal to go through that, but if we had the technology to understand what was happening then maybe families won’t have to suffer anymore. My old babysitter also has a daughter who is autistic and if scientist knew what was happening in the brain of her daughter maybe we as a society could better help and teach this kids with special needs. Maybe their lives don’t have to be so grim. This is incredible.

Connection:

In class we have had presentations on schizophrenia, Alzheimers, concussions, and maybe other brain related maladies. When first hearing about all the things that can happen to a brain I was worried that it wasn’t something we were going to be able to fix. I even worried that my child could be born with any of these diseases, but with this new research it sparks hope back into me because we are getting closer and closer to understanding the brain. Which means we are getting closer to being able to cure diseases affecting the brain. This would give the lives back to so many people! It’s just amazing to think about.

http://www.nwpf.org/News.aspx?Item=4256