Researchers from Germany and Canada have created a three-dimensional, high-resolution map of the human brain that is 50 times more detailed than any previous map.  The results of this project, known as BigBrain, will be publicly available for use by scientists around the world.

A summary of the project was published in the journal Science.  The map created is a reference brain, but departs from prior reference brains by offering microscopic detail.  In fact, BigBrain reaches a resolution of 20 micrometers, which is a nearly cellular level.  The researchers were able to reach this level of detail by taking the physical brain, slicing it into 7,404 sections, and reconstructing an ultrahigh-resolution model of the brain.  By making it publicly available, the brain map can be used by anyone for modeling and simulation.  Researchers can test hypotheses, identifying optimal paths through the brain.

This brain map is a starting point for modeling of development and degeneration.  Data from living brains can be contextualized using the reference brain.  This project does not provide information on brain activity or the connections between neurons.  However, BigBrain complements the Brain Research Through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies (BRAIN) initiative by President Obama.  The BRAIN initiative will be attempting to map brain activity, which can be put into context through BigBrain.

BigBrain took 10 years to complete, including 1,000 hours of nearly continuous work to prepare and scan the brain slices.  The brain was preserved in formalin and then soaked in wax for months.  Using a tool known as a microtome, the researchers were able to cut slices that were hair-thin.  The thin slices were critical for obtaining more detailed information.  Once the slices were cut, the researchers took each slice, put it on a microscope slide, made the cell bodies visible with a stain, and scanned the slice.  There is little information available about the brain that was used.  All that is known is it is a female brain, the woman was 65 at death, and she had no known neurological diseases.

Current understanding of the brain focuses on macroanatomical landmarks.  It is general knowledge that the brain has six regions, each with different key functions.  However, BigBrain provides significantly more detail and, over time, may help scientists identify more specific regional divisions in the brain.  As the understanding of these regions develops, healthcare interventions could also improve.  The possibilities are endless.