- IIT Madras scientists created Anchor, the world's most detailed 3D cellular atlas of the human brainstem.
- Anchor integrates MRI scans with microscopic images of over 500 tissue sections from fetal to adult brains.
- The atlas identifies more than 200 brain cell clusters and nerve pathways using eight chemical markers.
- It bridges medical imaging and cellular pathology, allowing seamless zoom from whole brain to individual neurons.
- Potential applications include studying disorders like Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, stroke, and aiding neurosurgeries.
- The atlas is freely available online and built affordably from high-resolution microscope images.
- Future plans include imaging over 100 whole human brains to create a reference library for neurological diseases.