The whole picture of the world's leading large base that studies the human brain | Newswitch by Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun

The Brain Information and Communications Fusion Research Center (CINET) is a unique research base on the Osaka University Suita Campus that uses "Information and Communications" as a keyword in collaboration with Osaka University.

In order to investigate the brain of a living human in detail, it is necessary to measure the structure and function of the brain without damaging the body.MRI (magnetic resonance layer shooting) and MEG (cerebral magnetic field measurement) make it possible.CINET has four MRI devices and one MEG device, which is one of the world's best research institutions.The feature is that 12 full -time staff who are familiar with measurement techniques that make full use of them have a system to fully support researchers.I am supervising the group.

MRI uses magnetic to imaging the body.The magnetic strength is represented in a unit of Tesla, and the stronger it is, the higher the measurement, the more accurate measurement.In the medical MRI, 3 Tesla is used from 0.3 Tesla, whereas CINET has one 7 -Tesla and 3 Tesla with 3 tall equipment.

In particular, there are only five 7 Tesla MRI devices in Japan, and high -definition imaging measurements are not possible with conventional 3 Tesla.In MRI, not only the structure of the brain but also the changes in blood flow can capture brain activity, and its application range has expanded dramatically in recent years.

MEG captures brain activity from the weak magnetic changes created by neurotranship.The MEG of CINET is a special specification that the equipment itself and the measurement room that put it on it is unparalleled worldwide, and while suppressing the environment and magnetic noise from the body, the level of 100 millionth of the geomagnetism.It is possible to capture a magnetic signal derived from brain activity.

CINET's strength is that MRI has excellent spatial measurement accuracy, while MEG has excellent time measurement accuracy and enables research that combines each other's strengths.

All of these devices in CINET are used for basic research, and are used jointly by many domestic and overseas researchers.In recent years, many companies are starting to be interested in brain science, so they are also active in joint research with such companies and are looking forward to expanding their use in the future.

Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun June 15, 2021