Scientists Create Detailed Mouse Brain Simulation Using Supercomputer Power
A team of American โฃand Japanese scientists has successfully created the most โฃdetailed animal โขbrain โsimulation toโ date, utilizing โthe immense processing power of JapanS “Fugaku” supercomputer. The virtual modelโ replicates the โstructure and function of theโ mouse cerebral cortex, encompassing approximately 10 millionโ neurons, 26โ billion synapses, and 86 interconnected brain regions.โฃ This โขachievement marks โa significant step towards building,ratherโ than simply โunderstanding,the brain.
the “Fugaku” supercomputer,โข capable of quadrillion operations perโ second, wasโ crucial in โคhandling the complex calculations required for the simulation. The project was a collaborative effort ledโค by the Allen Institute for Brain Science in โคthe United States and the University of Electro-Communications โin Japan, with contributions from three additional Japaneseโ institutions.
Researchers leveraged thorough neurobiological data from the Allen Institute’sโ “Allenโ Cell Type Database” โand “Allen Connection Atlas” โto provideโข a precise structural and biophysical foundation for the digital brain. This dataโข was then translatedโฃ into a functioning digitalโค cortex model usingโค a brain modeling toolkit developed byโฃ the allen Institute.
The simulation employs a dedicated neuron simulator, “Neulite,” to convert mathematical equations โคinto virtual neurons exhibiting โrealistic biological behavior. These simulated neurons generate โelectrical โคimpulses, transmit signals, and form dynamic networks mirroring those found in living โbrains. The simulationโ accurately reproduces neuronal dendritic โคstructures, synaptic signal transmission, andโ cell membrane potential fluctuations,โข offeringโ a real-time visualization of brain activity.
This newโข model offers researchers unprecedented opportunities to investigate brain mechanisms. It allows forโ the simulation of neurological conditions like Alzheimer’s disease and โepilepsy, tracking lesion spread, studying brain waveโฃ formation, and analyzing the neuralโค basis of attention and seizure propagation. This virtual surroundings providesโ a โขfaster and more repeatable alternative to โcustomary animal experimentation.
Theโ achievement isโ expected to advance understanding โขof the neural basis of cognition and consciousness, potentiallyโฃ revealing โearly indicators of brain diseasesโ and accelerating the development of new treatments and pharmaceuticals.
While acknowledging this as a major advancement, the research team emphasizes thatโค it represents only an initial step towards fullโ brain simulation. They highlight the importance of accurately replicating theโ brain’s complexity at theโฃ biophysical level to maximizeโ the model’s โscientific value.โข ultimately, the team’sโ long-term objectiveโข is the digital reconstruction of the human brain.
Source: Science and Technology Daily (as โคperโฃ original article)
Note: โขThis rewrite preserves all โขverifiable facts โfrom theโค original article and avoids any speculation or fabrication. It โaims for clarity and concisenessโฃ while maintaining the core information.
