Scientists create mini model of human brain to search for new drugs

Tengrinews.kz — Researchers at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich have developed a three-dimensional model of brain tissue made from human cells.
According to DW’s Telegram channel, the model allows scientists to observe processes associated with Alzheimer’s disease under laboratory conditions and test the effects of new drugs.

“The model consists of tiny tissue spheroids about half the size of a pinhead. They combine three important types of brain cells: neurons, astrocytes and microglia. This allows scientists to study how the cells interact with one another and how pathological changes develop,” the report said.

Researchers were able to reproduce characteristic signs of Alzheimer’s disease in the system, including the formation of amyloid plaques and changes in tau protein. According to the project’s authors, this could help scientists better understand the mechanisms of the disease and accelerate the search for effective treatments.
The scientists believe the new model has advantages over experiments on mice because it is made from human cells. Although the technology still requires further development, the researchers hope that in the future it will help pharmaceutical companies create drugs that are genuinely effective for patients with Alzheimer’s disease.
According to the university’s website, the researchers published the results of their work in the journal Nature Neuroscience.
Earlier, it was reported that British scientists in Cambridge plan to grow miniature human organs and other tissues from patients’ cells. The researchers believe this will allow medicines to be tested much more accurately and treatments to be tailored to each individual patient.