Detailed Map Of Mouse Brain Completed

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Main Category: Neurology / Neuroscience
Also Included In: Genetics;  Alzheimer's / Dementia;  Psychology / Psychiatry
Article Date: 27 Sep 2006 - 10:00 PDT


Microsoft Corporation co-founder, Paul G. Allen, funded a project to create a detailed map of the mouse brain. The project has been completed and is called the 'Allen Brain Atlas'. It is available online, free of charge to the public. The map shows which genes are active in the brain and which regions and cells they are expressed in - linking them to particular brain functions.

The Allen Institute for Brain Science said the Allen Brain Atlas is a web-based three-dimensioal map of gene expression in the mouse brain. It details over 21,000 genes at cellular level. This Atlas provides scientists with types of data that were not previously available.

Humans share 90% of their genes with mice. The Atlas opens up the opportunities to understand and more swiftly achieve eventual treatment for such disorders and diseases as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Schizophrenia, Autism, Addiction and Epilepsy. Approximately one quarter of the US adult population suffer from some kind of diagnosable mental disorder in any given year.

Paul G. Allen said "This project is an unprecedented union of neuroscience and genomics. The comprehensive information provided by the Atlas will help lead scientists to new insights and propel the field of neuroscience forward dramatically."

Allen Jones, Chief Scientific Office, Allen Institute for Brain Science, said "This is a multidisciplinary project of unprecedented scale. It combines the scientific disciplines of math, physics, neuroscience, and genomics to define where those 21,000 genes are expressed and activated in the brain. There's no other information set like this."

The project discovered that 80% of genes are turned on in the brain. It was previously thought only 60-70% were turned on. This could give us valuable insight into the benefits and possible side-effects of drug treatments as well as understanding regional brain activity.

Catherine Dulac, Harvard professor of molecular and cellular biology, a member of the Allen Institute for Brain Science Board, said "It's an enormous mine of information. Suddenly you can go into a much more advanced level of analysis. The fact that it is being made publicly available immediately is absolutely tremendous."

-- News Report from Allen Brian Institute (PDF - 124 KB)
-- Web Cast from Allen Brian Institute (MP3/36MB)
-- Allen Institute for Brain Science
-- More information about Paul G. Allen

Written by: Christian Nordqvist
Editor: Medical News Today
Copyright: Medical News Today
Not to be reproduced without permission of Medical News Today

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