Mapping the Fruit Fly Brain: A Breakthrough in Neuroscience

Researchers have mapped the entire brain of a fruit fly, detailing 139,255 neurons and 50 million connections. This wiring diagram, or connectome, took years to complete. It involved slicing the fly’s brain into 7,000 sections, imaging each with an electron microscope, and using AI to trace neuron paths. Human volunteers corrected AI errors.

The project classified over 8,400 cell types, providing a blueprint for a fly brain. Researchers found neurons that process diverse information and coordinate neural activity. They also identified circuits that halt fly movement.

A computer simulation of part of the fly brain revealed taste processing circuits. This suggests future simulations could explain brain wiring’s role in behavior.

The effort involved researchers from Canada, Germany, and the UK. They published their findings in nine Nature papers. Dr. Anita Devineni called the wiring diagram a “landmark achievement.”

Next, researchers aim to map the mouse brain within five to ten years. Mapping the human brain, with its 86 billion neurons, is far more complex. It would require a zettabyte of data—equivalent to a year’s internet traffic.

Instead, researchers may map parts of the human brain. This could help understand neuropsychiatric disorders. Dr. John Ngai of the US National Institutes of Health emphasized the importance of understanding brain wiring to address brain disorders.