#ScienceNews

In a scientific feat once thought to border on the impossible, a global team of researchers has produced the first-ever hyper-detailed, three-dimensional map of a mammalian brain, marking a significant leap forward in neuroscience. Using just a tiny speck of mouse brain matter—the size of a grain of sand—scientists at the Allen Institute for Brain Science, Baylor College of Medicine, and Princeton University meticulously mapped out the intricate web of 84,000 neurons and over 500 million synapses within a cubic millimeter of tissue. This digital reconstruction, now published in the journal Nature, is being hailed as the most comprehensive mammalian brain map ever generated, fueling optimism for breakthroughs in understanding brain disorders such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, autism, and schizophrenia (CNN).

A new study from Germany has found that a gentle, non-invasive brain stimulation technique—transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS)—can subtly influence how quickly and flexibly people make decisions. In an experiment targeting a brain area deeply involved in planning and decision processes, researchers discovered that the type of stimulation applied was linked to either quicker choices or greater mental rigidity in volunteers. The findings not only shed light on the brain’s role in cognitive flexibility but raise timely questions for those in Thailand and across Asia interested in brain-boosting gadgets or educational interventions promising sharper thinking.