Scientists in the United States reported on Monday that for the first time a 3D tissue has been developed that sustains functions like a brain. The tissue has structures comparable to a rat’s brain and has managed to continue functioning for over two months.

It is the longest surviving model of its kind, and it has produced the most activity. Scientists expect that viable synthetic structures like this will pave the way to new types of treatments for brain-related ailments. By having a structure that functions like a brain but is not part of a human body, scientists can subject the tissues to various conditions and monitor their responses.

The tissue was constructed using a spongy scaffold comprised of silk proteins. It was shaped like a donut before receiving neurons from rats and a gel made of collagen. The gel was used to encourage the growth of neurons within the scaffold. Complex neural circuitry, similar to that of a rat’s brain, was able to develop within days.

“With the system we have, you can essentially track the tissue response to traumatic brain injury in real time,” said Professor David Kaplan head of research on developing the tissue at Tufts University.

“Most importantly, you can also start to track repair and what happens over longer periods of time.”

Thus far, the model has been subjected to various tests that help establish the effects of several different types of injuries. They were able to recreate the brain’s typical response to a traumatic head injury by creating an impact and measuring the chemicals released in reaction to the damage.

They were also able to reproduce electrical activity characteristically present after a trauma occurs.

Researchers state that the importance of this discovery lies in their new found ability to study brain tissue long term. This could help further develop the scientific community’s understanding of complex brain issues.