‘The brain is two organs’: What Stanford scientists discovered about how it develops

DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to. Always consult your health practitioner before starting any routine.

To break it down further, we turned to Dr Lokesh B, Senior Consultant – Neurology, Aster CMI Hospital, Bangalore, who explained the findings in simpler terms.

Is the human brain split in two? (Magnific)

So, do we have 2 brains?

Dr Lokesh says the Stanford study matters because it suggests the human brain may not develop as one completely uniform system. “Instead, the front and back portions of the brain appear to arise from two different groups of early cells, which eventually develop together and function as one highly connected organ,” he shares with indianexpress.com.

So, when we hear that the brain is ‘two organs’, he says that we should not understand it as literally having two separate brains.

From a neurological point of view, Dr Lokesh explains that this could improve our understanding of how different parts of the brain develop and why certain neurological diseases affect particular regions.

“Researchers have now been able to use human stem cells to grow functional hindbrain neurons in the laboratory, giving scientists a new way to study conditions such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), which can affect brainstem neurons involved in functions such as swallowing and breathing,” he tells indianexpress.com.

Is this a good thing?

“I would consider this a positive step for future neurological research and treatment, but it is important not to suggest that it will immediately change diagnosis or treatment in hospitals,” says Dr Lokesh.

He says the immediate value is that scientists now have a “better developmental model of the brain and a way to study specific human neurons in the laboratory”. Over time, he believes this can help us understand disease mechanisms, identify potential drug targets and develop more targeted or regenerative treatments.

However, he also points out that these possibilities will require substantial further research and clinical testing before they become routine patient care.

DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to. Always consult your health practitioner before starting any routine.