In a first, cerebral organoids produce complex brain waves similar to newborns’, reviving ethical concerns
The Lilliputian versions of human brains that scientists have grown in lab dishes have developed distinct structures such as the hippocampus, grown glia and other cells like those in actual brains, and produced a diverse menagerie of neurons that connect with each other and carry electrical signals. Now scientists have grown hundreds of cerebral organoids with the most complex, human-like activity yet: Though only one-fifth of an inch across, or about the size of a pea, the organoids have developed functional neural networks that generate brain waves resembling those of newborns.
The research, reported on Thursday in Cell Stem Cell, represents a significant advance in creating cerebral organoids that mimic human brain development and function.
“This paper stands out because it looks at the properties and activities of large networks of neurons,” said neuroscientist Hongjun Song of the University of Pennsylvania, who uses brain organoids in
