包括美国加州大学圣克鲁兹分校、约翰斯·霍普金斯大学以及德国、瑞士多家机构联合团队，借助名为 类器官的微型人脑组织模型，揭示了大脑天生预置"操作系统"。发表在《自然·神经科学》上的最新研 究颠覆了传统认知，表明大脑最早的神经元放电是以结构化模式进行的，且完全不依赖任何外部体验。 这一发现暗示，大脑在人出生前就已预设了如何与世界互动的基本"指令"。 团队在观察类器官中单个神经元的放电活动时发现，即使没有接收任何来自外部世界的感官输入，神经 元网络也能够自发地产生复杂且具有时间序列特征的放电活动。这强烈暗示了活体大脑的神经结构中， 存在着一种固有的、由基因编码决定的发育蓝图。 了解类器官能够自发地产生活体大脑的基本神经结构，为更好地理解人类神经发育、神经系统疾病以及 环境毒素对大脑的影响开辟了多种可能性。这些模型具备捕捉复杂神经动力学的基础能力，而这些动力 学很可能与某些发病机制密切相关。未来，团队将在临床前层面探索开发新的化合物、药物疗法或基因 编辑工具。 （文章来源：科技日报） 人类长久以来一直在思索：思维究竟是何时开始形成的？大脑是天生就已配置好，还是思维模式仅随着 对周围世界的感官体验而逐渐形成？大脑的运作 ...

Core Insights - The article discusses a groundbreaking achievement by American scientists who have created the largest and most detailed simulation of an animal brain to date, specifically the mouse cortex, using advanced supercomputing capabilities [1][2]. Group 1: Simulation Details - The virtual model replicates nearly 10 million neurons, 26 billion synapses, and 86 interconnected brain regions, providing a new platform for understanding brain mechanisms [1]. - The simulation was made possible by Japan's supercomputer "Fugaku," which can perform quintillions of calculations per second, enabling the processing of vast amounts of data and complex simulations [1]. Group 2: Research Applications - Scientists can now explore brain mechanisms in unprecedented ways, simulating neurological diseases such as Alzheimer's and epilepsy, tracking how pathologies spread within neural networks [2]. - The model allows for rapid hypothesis testing and repeated experimentation in a digital environment, significantly enhancing research efficiency compared to traditional animal experiments [2]. Group 3: Future Goals - While this achievement marks a significant step, the team acknowledges that the true challenge lies in capturing the biological complexity of the brain, with the long-term goal of achieving a digital reconstruction of the human brain [2].

Core Insights - The development of a novel three-dimensional human brain tissue platform, termed "miBrain," represents a significant advancement in modeling human brain complexity for neurological disease research and drug development [1][2][5] Group 1: Model Characteristics - miBrain is the first in vitro model to integrate all six major cell types of the human brain, including neurons, astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, microglia, endothelial cells, and pericytes, creating a functional neurovascular unit [2][3] - The model is derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and replicates key physiological features of human brain tissue, such as neural signaling, immune response, and blood-brain barrier functionality [2][3] Group 2: Research Applications - miBrain's modular design allows for precise genetic editing of specific cell types, enabling the simulation of pathological states caused by specific gene mutations while controlling for other genetic factors [3][4] - The model has been utilized to study the impact of different apolipoprotein E (ApoE) genotypes on Alzheimer's disease pathology, demonstrating that astrocytes carrying the ApoE4 variant can drive key pathological processes independently [3][4] Group 3: Implications for Drug Development - The introduction of miBrain marks a shift towards more physiologically relevant brain models, overcoming limitations of traditional single-cell or animal models that often fail to translate findings to human conditions [5][6] - Future enhancements to miBrain, such as incorporating microfluidic systems and single-cell RNA sequencing, aim to further refine the model's accuracy in mimicking live brain conditions and understanding neuronal heterogeneity [6]