Researchers Create First Realistic 3D Diagram of the Brain’s Cortical Column

Researchers from the lab of Nobel Laureate Bert Sakmann, MD, PhD, at the Max Planck Florida Institute (MPFI) say they have created the first realistic 3D diagram of a thalamocortical column in the rodent brain through the use of a conceptually new approach and state-of-the-art research tools. The cortical column is a vertically organized series of connected neurons that form a brain circuit. It is considered the elementary building block of the cortex, the part of the brain that is responsible for many of its higher functions.

This achievement is the first step toward creating a complete computer model of the brain, one that could ultimately lead to an understanding of how the brain computes as well as how it goes awry in neurological, neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders. The results of the study are published online in the Cerebral Cortex journal. For more information, click here to read the full release.