BENGALURU: Understanding the brain from the cellular level onward is crucial for addressing developmental disorders like learning disabilities and autism. The research on this is key to unlocking better solutions for early intervention and improving outcomes for affected children, Professor Mohanasankar Sivaprakasam, Head of the Sudha Gopalakrishnan Brain Centre, IIT Madras, said.
Speaking at a panel discussion at the Science Gallery on Sunday, he explained that India’s large share of the world’s annual births—around 25 million—makes it vital to study brain development from the fetal stage through adolescence. His remarks followed with the release of the ‘most detailed’ 3D high-resolution images of the human fetal brain by IIT Madras, providing insights into its complex development.
As part of the research, for the first time globally, 5,132 brain sections were digitally imaged at a cellular level using advanced brain mapping technology.
The dataset, named ‘Dharani’ is now available as an open-source resource at the institute’s website.
The findings of this research will be published as a special issue in the Journal of Comparative Neurology, a renowned peer-reviewed journal in the field of neuroscience.