Human brain organoids provide new insights into the development of the brain and its diseases, as a study by the Hector Institute for Translational Brain Research (HITBR) at the Central Institute of Mental Health (ZI) in Mannheim shows.
The development of the cerebral cortex is the subject of intensive research due to its complexity, as malformations can lead to disorganization of the cerebral cortex with serious consequences such as epilepsy and mental impairment. The researchers compared brain organoids from stem cells with mutated genes with those in which a mutation could be ruled out. The comparison confirmed that organoids can contribute to the understanding of normal and abnormal development of the human brain. In the long term, the findings should contribute to new treatment options for diseases with cortical defects.
