A new technique promises to revolutionize the study of the human brain

Stanford University, in California, announced last Wednesday, that a multidisciplinary team from the center of studies has developed a method to analyze the brain without altering the internal connections, neither its form, through a chemical process that makes it transparent.

This method promises to change the analysis of the functioning of the most complex organ of the human body, which until now has been indecipherable and whose interior has been exposed as a showcase.

The technique is called Clarity, and seeks to speed up investigations concerning  diseases such as Alzheimer or schizophrenia, and on neurons linked to Down syndrome or autism.

“The study of intact systems with this type of molecular resolution and in all its dimension (being able to see the smallest detail and the entire structure at the same time), has been an objective not reached in biology, a goal that Clarity begins to comply”, said the head of the project, biological engineer and psychiatrist, Karl Deisseroth, who is part of the team that will determine the objectives of the initiative of brain research that was announced on April 2 by the United States President, Barack Obama.

The key point of this process of analysis of the brain is to replace with a Hydrogel the lipids that shape the organ, once applied this substance, begins a process of petrifaction, the lipids can be removed without damaging the tissues, and the result will be a transparent brain.