[ExI] 1 mm^3 of brain

Wed May 15 00:26:09 UTC 2024

It's considered declasse to mention human uploading or brain emulation in a
serious scientific paper, but you know everyone involved is thinking it.

On Tue, May 14, 2024, 5:38 PM BillK via extropy-chat <
extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org> wrote:

> On Tue, 14 May 2024 at 13:14, Stuart LaForge via extropy-chat <
> extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org> wrote:
>
>> I have not had time for a close look yet, but I thought you guys would
>> appreciate this:
>>
>>
>> https://www.technologyreview.com/2024/05/09/1092223/google-map-cubic-millimeter-human-brain/
>>
>> Stuart LaForge
>> _______________________________________________
>>
>
>
> I asked Perplexity AI to comment -
> BillK
>
> Perplexity AI -
> The research paper "A petavoxel fragment of human cerebral cortex
> reconstructed at nanoscale resolution" presents a groundbreaking
> achievement in the field of connectomics, which is the study of the brain's
> structural connectivity. Here are the key points and implications of this
> work:
>
> ## Unprecedented Scale and Resolution
>
> - The researchers have reconstructed a petavoxel (10^15 voxels) fragment
> of the human cerebral cortex at a remarkable nanoscale resolution,
> capturing intricate details of neurons and their connections.[1][3][4]
> - This is the largest and most detailed reconstruction of brain tissue to
> date, surpassing previous efforts by orders of magnitude in terms of scale
> and resolution.[1][3][4]
>
> ## Insights into Brain Connectivity
>
> - The reconstruction reveals the complex wiring diagram of neurons within
> this cortical fragment, including synaptic connections, axonal projections,
> and dendritic arborizations.[1][3][4]
> - This unprecedented level of detail allows for a deeper understanding of
> the brain's structural organization and connectivity patterns, which are
> crucial for unraveling its function and information processing
> capabilities.[1][3][4]
>
> ## Technological Advancements
>
> - The study represents a significant technological achievement, combining
> advanced imaging techniques, computational resources, and novel algorithms
> to process and analyze the vast amount of data generated.[1][3][4]
> - The methods developed in this work could pave the way for larger-scale
> and higher-resolution brain mapping efforts, enabling a more comprehensive
> understanding of the human brain's intricate circuitry.[1][3][4]
>
> ## Implications for Neuroscience and Medicine
>
> - The detailed connectomic map obtained in this study could shed light on
> the structural basis of brain function, cognitive processes, and
> neurological disorders.[1][3][4]
> - This knowledge may ultimately contribute to the development of more
> effective treatments and interventions for various neurological conditions
> by targeting specific neural circuits or connectivity patterns.[1][3][4]
>
> In summary, this groundbreaking work represents a significant milestone in
> the field of connectomics, providing an unprecedented level of detail and
> scale in mapping the structural connectivity of the human brain. The
> findings and techniques developed in this study have far-reaching
> implications for advancing our understanding of the brain's organization
> and function, as well as potential applications in neuroscience and
> medicine.
>
> Citations:
> [1] https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adk4858
> [2]
> https://www.science.org/news/latest-news2022-11-15?Earliest=%5B20230706+TO+202401062359%5D&pageSize=20&startPage=13
> [3]
> https://www.researchgate.net/publication/351987804_A_connectomic_study_of_a_petascale_fragment_of_human_cerebral_cortex
> [4] https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adl0913
> [5] https://vcg.seas.harvard.edu
>
>
> A follow-up question - What is the significance of the nanoscale
> resolution in the science paper?
>
> The nanoscale resolution achieved in the research paper "A petavoxel
> fragment of human cerebral cortex reconstructed at nanoscale resolution" is
> highly significant for several reasons:
>
> 1. Unprecedented Detail of Neural Circuits:
>    - The nanoscale resolution allows for the visualization and mapping of
> the intricate wiring and connectivity of neurons within the cerebral cortex
> at an unprecedented level of detail.[1][3][4]
>    - This includes resolving individual synaptic connections, dendritic
> arborizations, and axonal projections, which are crucial for understanding
> the brain's structural organization and information processing
> capabilities.[1][3][4]
>
> 2. Insights into Brain Function and Disorders:
>    - The detailed connectomic map obtained at nanoscale resolution can
> shed light on the structural basis of brain function, cognitive processes,
> and neurological disorders.[1][3][4]
>    - This knowledge may contribute to the development of more effective
> treatments and interventions by targeting specific neural circuits or
> connectivity patterns associated with various neurological
> conditions.[1][3][4]
>
> 3. Technological Advancements:
>    - The study represents a significant technological achievement,
> combining advanced imaging techniques, computational resources, and novel
> algorithms to process and analyze vast amounts of data at nanoscale
> resolution.[1][3][4]
>    - The methods developed in this work could pave the way for
> larger-scale and higher-resolution brain mapping efforts, enabling a more
> comprehensive understanding of the human brain's intricate
> circuitry.[1][3][4]
>
> 4. Complementing Other Techniques:
>    - The nanoscale resolution achieved in this study complements and
> enhances other techniques used in neuroscience, such as molecular biology,
> biochemistry, and traditional cell biology studies.[2]
>    - By providing a detailed structural context, the nanoscale connectomic
> map can be integrated with other data modalities to gain a more
> comprehensive understanding of brain function and dysfunction.[2]
>
> In summary, the nanoscale resolution achieved in this research is
> significant because it enables an unprecedented level of detail in mapping
> the structural connectivity of the human brain, which has far-reaching
> implications for advancing our understanding of brain function, cognitive
> processes, and neurological disorders, as well as potential applications in
> developing more effective treatments and interventions.
>
> Citations:
> [1] https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adk4858
> [2] https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00216-016-9781-8
> [3] https://www.nature.com/articles/s41565-023-01328-z
> [4] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590049823000735
> [5] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5550840/
> --------------------------------
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