Human organoids restore cognition in mice with half a brain
Mice with half a brain experienced significant improvements to their cognition and movement when they received brain organoids made from human stem cells
Scientists implanted human brain organoids into mice that were missing half of their brain. These organoids, which are miniature versions of the human cerebral cortex, integrated into the mice's brains and helped restore most of the animals' cognitive abilities. Gabriel Balmuș, a researcher from the University of Cambridge, noted that the mice performed better on memory and movement tests after receiving the organoid transplants.
The researchers, led by Sergiu Pașca at Stanford University, genetically engineered the mice to lack over 90% of their cortex, resulting in some memory and movement deficits. After the organoid transplants, these mice showed significant improvement in cognitive function and motor skills, even performing better than normal mice on certain tests.
The implanted organoids also contained a specific type of nerve cell called von Economo neurons, which are associated with social skills. Pașca's team emphasized that their human brain organoids were larger and more similar to the human cerebral cortex compared to previous experiments, although they still noted that the cell arrangement and structure did not perfectly match a normal cortex.
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