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Life Science Div./ Technology platforms/ In vivo imaging platforms/ NeuroSpin/ NeuroSpin - Understrand the brain by the image

NeuroSpin - Understrand the brain by the image


Each year, a growing percentage of the population in the developed countries suffers from neurological or psychiatric diseases. Large amounts of money are spent for the treatment and rehabilitation of these patients. Life expectancy is increasing and the potential benefits from research on the workings of the brain in an ageing population are obvious. In addition, this research can also greatly benefit our societies by, for example, providing a deeper understanding of the communication processes between individuals, group behaviour or the optimization of learning methods. New types of " biological " computers based on the workings of the brain may be designed. The man-machine interface (robot design, ergonomics of plane cockpits or car dashboards, …) may be improved by our understanding of the workings of the brain. The stakes involved are huge and the even partial understanding of the human brain is one of the challenges of this century.

   
   

In this exploratory quest, neurofunctional imaging has overwhelmed the life sciences. It now has a unique place by providing in vitro and in situ data on the workings of all living organisms in a non invasive manner. It not only completes, but it also sharpens the biological data coming from other approaches (such as molecular biology and electrophysiology…). The images obtained provide both anatomic data (arrangement of tissues in organs) and functional data (metabolic status, for example).

In general, biomedical imaging has imposed itself over the last few years in a great many areas of biology and medicine. It has mainly developed in two directions: functional cerebral imaging and molecular imaging.

- Functional cerebral imaging involves the study of human cognitive processes in the normal and diseased brain. It aims at connecting the upper cognitive functions (perception of objects, language, attention, memory, logic, action...) with their biological component, their neural correlates. Neuro-imaging has today become indispensable in the cognitive neurosciences. It is used to understand the cerebral bases involved in human cognitive processes in both normal subjects and in patients.

- Molecular imaging involves the development of imaging methods to watch the workings of the cells. Associated with functional genomics it will eventually help translate the huge deposit of knowledge on the genome into functional data that can be used in physiology, physiopathology or pharmacology. With such tools it is becoming possible to watch, functionally and anatomically, the development of the brain of mouse embryos and to monitor how gene defects can translate into anatomical or functional abnormalities later in life. The understanding, prevention or treatment of neurological diseases caused by genetic or acquired anomalies during the development of the brain is a major stake involved at NeuroSpin.
3D rendering from MRI images
obtained in a foetus in utero showing the status of development of the brain folding patterns. (SHFJ/ Hôpital Necker collaboration).
 
 
MRI images
showing the brain regions that were subject to infarction in a stroke patient (SHFJ/Hôpital Lariboisière collaboration).
3D display from MRI images
showing the structures involved in the reading of words and their connections. The connections are interrupted in this patient with a lesion of the corpus callosum.
3D rendering of microscopy MRI images
obtained in a mouse embryo 13.5 days after conception (courtesy of R. Jacobs, Caltech)

Photos: CEA, Inserm, CEA/C, Dupont, CEA/L, Médard, CEA/M, Grassi, Inserm/Lachapelle, AP-HP/Inserm/CEA