Study revealing distribution of brain cells could help discover cause of diseases

Chinese scientists have recently created the most detailed map that has ever been made of the types of cells in the brains of monkeys. The map, which shows how the various cells are distributed, could help scientists better understand how the brain works.

The creation of the map was the result of intensive research by the scientists. It provides a molecular cellular basis for further study of the connections between various types of neurons and may provide insights into research of brain diseases, including Alzheimer's disease and depression, the scientists said.

A paper reporting the results was published on the website of the journal Cell on Wednesday. This milestone study was conducted by scientists from several institutions, including the Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the BGI Group, the Lingang Laboratory, the Shanghai Brain Center, the Tencent AI Laboratory and the Karolinska Institute in Sweden.