Context:

Researchers at IIT Madras have developed the most detailed 3D map of developing fetal brains from the second trimester of pregnancy, providing cellular-level information about the developing human brain. 

More on the News

• This map is now the most detailed high-resolution 3D representation of the fetal brain, showing how the brain undergoes rapid growth during this critical stage and can detect possibilities of brain disorders like autism.
• The map is open access and free for anyone to use, promising significant advancements in the study of the brain and its disorders.

About the Brain Atlas

• The brain atlas is called DHARINI, and is the largest of its kind and the only one that captures the developing brain at such an early stage. 
• It uses advanced technology to map over 5,000 brain sections and more than 500 brain regions of fetal brains.
• This map specifically focuses on fetal brains during the second trimester, from 14 to 24 weeks of pregnancy.

Significance of the Brain Map

• This atlas is the only dataset capturing fetal brain growth at such an early stage, thus aiding clinicians in studying how the human brain develops in the womb.
• It has challenged previous assumptions about brain development, revealing significant differences in developmental timelines (e.g., brain structures thought to develop at 14 weeks may actually develop at 17 weeks).
• The data could offer new insights into developmental disorders like autism and may help explain why certain conditions like cerebral palsy develop due to lack of oxygen (hypoxia) during pregnancy.
• The findings may also provide clues about how adult brain changes are linked to mental health conditions like depression and bipolar disorder.
• Experts believe the research will fuel years of studies globally, contributing to a better understanding of human brain development and paving the way for innovations in artificial intelligence.

About the Technology Used in the Mapping

• Advanced Imaging: The brains of stillborns in the second trimester were frozen, and then thinly sliced (10-20 microns thickness), which is thinner than human hair.
• Detailed Imaging: These slices were marked and microscopically imaged in extreme detail to create the 3D map.
• Indigenous Technology: All the instrumentation and technology used for freezing, sizing, creating plates, digiting, and mapping were indigenously developed by researchers at IIT Madras.