Dharini: Foetal Brain Atlas by IIT-Madras

IIT Madras unveils world’s most detailed 3D images of foetal brain.

Key Highlights Of Foetal Brain Mapping

• Dharini: It is an open-access dataset that includes over 5,000 brain sections and 500+ brain regions.
  • The atlas focuses on the rapid brain growth during the second trimester (14-24 weeks of pregnancy).
  • Indigenous Innovation: The freezing, slicing, imaging, and digitization technologies were developed entirely by IIT-Madras researchers.
• Implications for Neurological Research
  • Understanding Disorders: The data can unravel mysteries of poorly understood developmental disorders such as autism.
    • It offers insights into brain growth and development of the human foetus at the cellular level.
  • Gene-Environment Link: Provides a platform to study how genes and environmental factors influence brain chemistry.

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• Focus on Maternal Health
  • Vulnerabilities During Pregnancy: Brain development is particularly sensitive to maternal nutrition, stress, and infections.
  • Public Health Message: Highlights the urgent need to meet maternal health, educational, nutritional, and environmental requirements for healthy foetal development.
• National Relevance
  • UNICEF reports that India, with 25 million child births each year, accounts for nearly one-fifth of the world’s childbirths. 
  • Many pregnant women in India lack adequate nutrition and healthcare despite government initiatives. 
  • The atlas can support evidence-based policymaking.
• Cross-Disciplinary Applications
  • Artificial Intelligence: A deeper understanding of brain functions may contribute to advancements in AI technology.