Washington: Researchers have for the first time created a synthetic synapse circuit whose behaviour duplicates the function of a brain cell. A synapse is a junction that permits a neuron to pass an electrical or chemical signal to another nerve or brain cell.
The team, led by professors Alice Parker and Chongwu Zhou at the University of Southern California Viterbi School of Engineering, combined circuit design with nanotechnology to address the complex problem of capturing brain function.
Carbon nanotubes are molecular carbon structures a million times smaller than a pencil point. These nanotubes can be used in electronic circuits, acting as metallic conductors or semiconductors, according to a California statement.
“This is a necessary first step in the process,” said Parker, who began looking at the possibility of developing a synthetic brain in 2006. “We wanted to answer the question: Can you build a circuit that would act like a neuron? The next step is even more complex.”
“How can we build structures out of these circuits that mimic the function of the brain, which has 100 billion neurons and 10,000 synapses per neuron?” Parker emphasized that the actual development of a synthetic brain, or even a functional brain area is decades away.
The human brain continually produces new neurons, makes new connections and adapts throughout life, and creating this process through analog circuits will be a monumental task, according to Parker.
She believes the breakthrough could have long-term implications for everything — from developing prosthetic nanotechnology to heal traumatic brain injuries to developing intelligent, safe cars that would protect drivers in bold new ways.
These findings were presented at the IEEE/NIH 2011 Life Science Systems and Applications Workshop in the US.
Bypass regenerates lost brain tissue
Neurosurgeons have successfully regenerated lost brain tissue through brain bypass surgery in patients whose blood flow to the organ was impaired by strokes. This loss of tissue, which comprises brain’s grey matter, leads to decreased neurocognitive functions — perception, memory, awareness, capacity for judgement — and may hasten the onset of dementia.
Approximately 11 months after patients underwent bypass, aimed at restoring blood flow to the brain, researchers observed a 5.1 percent increase in brain tissue thickness on MRI scans, reports the journal Stroke.
“We were pretty astounded when we saw the results because they were quite unexpected,” said Michael Tymianski, neurosurgeon at the Krembil Neuroscience Centre, specializing in neurovascular diseases, according to a University Health Network statement. - IANS
The team, led by professors Alice Parker and Chongwu Zhou at the University of Southern California Viterbi School of Engineering, combined circuit design with nanotechnology to address the complex problem of capturing brain function.
Carbon nanotubes are molecular carbon structures a million times smaller than a pencil point. These nanotubes can be used in electronic circuits, acting as metallic conductors or semiconductors, according to a California statement.
“This is a necessary first step in the process,” said Parker, who began looking at the possibility of developing a synthetic brain in 2006. “We wanted to answer the question: Can you build a circuit that would act like a neuron? The next step is even more complex.”
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The human brain continually produces new neurons, makes new connections and adapts throughout life, and creating this process through analog circuits will be a monumental task, according to Parker.
She believes the breakthrough could have long-term implications for everything — from developing prosthetic nanotechnology to heal traumatic brain injuries to developing intelligent, safe cars that would protect drivers in bold new ways.
These findings were presented at the IEEE/NIH 2011 Life Science Systems and Applications Workshop in the US.
Bypass regenerates lost brain tissue
Neurosurgeons have successfully regenerated lost brain tissue through brain bypass surgery in patients whose blood flow to the organ was impaired by strokes. This loss of tissue, which comprises brain’s grey matter, leads to decreased neurocognitive functions — perception, memory, awareness, capacity for judgement — and may hasten the onset of dementia.
Approximately 11 months after patients underwent bypass, aimed at restoring blood flow to the brain, researchers observed a 5.1 percent increase in brain tissue thickness on MRI scans, reports the journal Stroke.
“We were pretty astounded when we saw the results because they were quite unexpected,” said Michael Tymianski, neurosurgeon at the Krembil Neuroscience Centre, specializing in neurovascular diseases, according to a University Health Network statement. - IANS
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