Neuroscience: Artificial 'brain in a dish' is created that matures 'just like a human brain'

A'brain in a dish' grown from stem cells in the lab can develop'just like a human brain' -- and may help shed light on conditions like Alzheimer's and schizophrenia. Researchers from the US conducted extensive genetic analyses of the so-called'organoids' which were allowed to grow in experimental dishes for up to 20 months. They found that the artificial brains appear to grow in phases accordance with an internal clock -- one that matches the development of real infant brains. The findings suggest that organoids are able to develop beyond a'foetal' stage, contrary to what had previously been assumed. Given this, brains organoids might well be able to be matured to such an extent that they can be used by scientists to investigate adult-onset diseases like dementia.