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03-29-2009 08:39 AM |
The first step in creating an artificial brain
Prof. Michael Coleman, a researcher at the Aston University, Birmingham, and his team have managed to do what you might have heard of only in science fiction novels.
Apparently, they have managed to reprogram cancerous cells taken from a tumor to create those that are identical to the cells seen in the human nervous system, that includes the brain.
The main objective of the study is to enable scientists understand the reasons and look for a breakthrough in the treatment of conditions like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's and at the same time, understand the functioning of the brain at a cellular level.
The research has been funded by the Humane Research Trust, a premier organization that advocates alternatives to animal testing of drugs and for research purposes.
According to Prof. Coleman, what they have managed to create is an artificial brain capable of processing thought, albeit at the most basic level. He adds that "It is closer to the human brain than anything else around, and in the longer term we hope that our procedure can be used to help us understand how conditions such as Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative diseases develop and ultimately find a cure and develop better drugs."
The scientists "feed" the cells with nutrients every two days to keep them alive. At the same time, the researchers are analyzing data from the research and are using this cellular model as a tool to understand the functionality of the brain.
The team believes this is the first step in creating and developing a fully functional artificial brain in the years to come. Although as they admit, it is still a long way off.
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