Dhaka: Neuroscientists have developed mice with functioning human cells integrated into their brains, marking a significant advancement that could aid in the study of human brain disorders. The researchers aim to use this model to test potential treatments for psychiatric and neurodevelopmental diseases, which are unique to humans, in laboratory mice.
According to United News of Bangladesh, the unsettling concept of mice with partly human brains has been addressed by scientists, who clarify that these are not mice capable of human-like thought. The mice have been genetically modified and surgically treated to incorporate human cells into part of their brain tissue. This research, published in the journal Nature, was conducted under independent ethical review, aiming to deepen the understanding of brain disorders that currently lack effective treatments.
The study led by Prof Sergiu Pa?ca of Stanford University highlights the challenges in psychiatry, which has one of the lowest success rates for clinical trials. Pa?ca noted that drugs appearing effective in animal models often fail in clinical settings, indicating a gap in understanding human biology. This new model, he suggests, could transform research into complex conditions like epilepsy, autism, and cerebral palsy by capturing aspects of human brain function previously unattainable.
The human brain's complexity, with billions of cells and millions of circuits, poses significant challenges for scientists trying to understand its development and the cellular disruptions caused by disorders. While past research has implanted human neurons into rodents, the Stanford team's study advances this technique significantly, providing a promising new avenue for scientific exploration.