Mapping neurological disorders just got easier.
Last week, a research team from Stanford University unveiled a method in Nature Medicine that allows long term, real time—and, best of all, 3D—viewing of living brain tissue. While some similar techniques already exist, the development by Stanford is unique in that it allows researchers to see high resolution images of the brain, at any depth, without doing significant harm to the penetrated tissue region.
The technique involves the insertion of a guide tube into the brain at a pre-set depth, with the top portion of the tube raised out of the skull. The tubes themselves have a property called Total Internal Reflection (TIR), that allows light from the brain to be refracted through the tubes and into a laser scanning light microscope. Because the tubes are sterilized, they can be left in place indefinitely while the researchers monitor the long term progression of neurological disease. The candidate for the first test was Glioma, a deadly neurodegenerative disease rarely studied with the mouse model. Using a line of infected mice, researchers could create a time-line of disease progression, from zero day to death.
The stunning 3D resolution generated by the microscopy is the first of its kind; safe, effective and reliable, this technique may generate a more refined understanding of many neurological disorders, with an emphasis on cerebrovascular disease and epilepsy. Of course, Fluorescene Microendoscopy, while intriguing, is not a silver bullet. Because of limits on the microscope, dendrites are still the only structure that can be effectively viewed. Meanwhile, more comprehensive clinical trial results must be examined before the technique can be used on human subjects. Nonetheless, the technique represents a paradigm shift in applied microscopy and holds significant potential for the future of neurological medicine.
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ReplyDeleteIt amazes me how far technology has come. The world of neuroscience and of general science itself has changed due to new technologies. Now that the brain imaging technique of Fluorescent Microendoscopy has been developed I believe that the causes of many neuro diseases will be uncovered. This technology is a major breakthrough because the brain can be monitored at all depths and levels over x amount of time. This means that the progression of brain diseases can be monitored, helping scientists understand and find cures for the diseases.
ReplyDeletePosted by Teryn McCook
I think technology is advancing day by day and therefore medicine have to follow all advance technologies, in terms to achieve successful diagnoses. Indeed this technology is beneficial for the field of Neuromedical Research but I think this technology can also contribute in other fields of medicine too, which will help doctors and researchers in future to find cure for different other diseases besides the diseases only associated with Neurology.
ReplyDeleteupper comment posted by Ammar Zafar
ReplyDeleteI’m curious how far this technology can be developed. If this could be used to track mental disorders that become apparent in children, it could help to further understanding of the disorders. For example, maybe this could help to better understand how children with autism learn better and help to tailor curriculums toward their needs. This imaging method is seriously amazing and I see some serious possibilities as it continues to progress.
ReplyDeletePosted by Marlena Grasso
It's really fascinating reading about some of the technologies used behind the scenes. A tool like this will be extremely beneficial to many fields of scientific research.
ReplyDelete- Jessica Kusmirek
As someone interested in neurodegenerative diseases such as Huntington's and Schizophrenia, it's exciting do see the development of a technique such as this that could track the course of these disorders is real-time. Knowing which CNS nuclei begin to degenerate first in Huntington's could be tremendous for gene-replacement therapies. I'm greatly looking forward to seeing how this technique leaves its mark on the field.
ReplyDeleteThere have been studies on rodents where they are exposed different experiences to see how that may affect the development of the brain. Like many studies, it was used to relate it to human brain development. In order to see these changes, the brains had to be removed. Since this technique (TIR) can be left in place indefinitely, it would be interesting to see how the brain gradually changes in response to various long-term stimuli.
ReplyDeletePosted by: Nelson Milano
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ReplyDeleteAmmar Zafar,
Applying one technique to a seemingly unrelated problem is one of the major themes of applied research since performing "crossover" tests saves both time and money. At the moment, the form of microscopy discussed is used exclusively in the brain. That said, scientists who need to see detailed structures in sensitive regions of either a biological system--or perhaps even a mechanical one--may benefit from such an accurate, precise technology.
NOTE: Previous comment posted by Alexander Simolaris
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ReplyDeleteMarlena Grasso,
As mentioned in the blog post, the technology has been used to study Glioma and will, in the future, be expected to contribute to research in epilepsy and Huntington's. FM produces excellent resolution of dendrites, making it a wonderful candidate tool to tackle autism, a disease that affects brain-cell communication and often encompasses defects with dendrite structures. Once the technology becomes more incorperated into the medical community; then, it could be expected that it could have wide applicability in autism research.
Posted by Alexander Simolaris
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ReplyDeleteConnor Finnerty,
You're right in saying that the technology could have applications in Huntington's/Alzheimer's but somewhat mistaken in the specific applicability. Microendoscopy can only, at present, be used for resolution of active dendrites; the actual nuclei are still impossible to image. This is the reason why FM isn't the "silver bullet" some outside the research community thought it would be. The advancement, both to the research community and to practicing physicians, could certainly be expected to become more advanced as the research continues.
Posted by Alexander Simolaris
Brain tissue is a vast sea of knowledge. knowledge which we have only started to develop, but with this new technology that allows one to see living brain tissue in action the knowledge becomes deeper. This technology may lead to further understanding of disease and functions of the brain
ReplyDeletePosted by Reed Allen
i love seeing developments such as this that could track the course of these disorders. i'm really interested in the neurosciences and the type of microscopy discussed here is used only in the brain. Technology has come a very long way. This could help with so much more stuff like autism! Research needs to be continued but overall we can see that we are going in the right direction with all of the nations research and technologies.
ReplyDeleteCleopatra Duque