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White House Proposes Brain-Mapping Project

By Kristin J. Kelley

Your patients may be curious about a New York Times story detailing a proposed research project teased by President Obama in last week's State of the Union address to map the human brain. The article topped the most e-mailed, viewed, and blogged lists over the weekend.

The Brain Activity Map project — a collaborative effort between scientists, federal agencies including the NIH, and private foundations — is expected to be part of the president's budget proposal next week. Writing in Neuron last year, scientists said that understanding fundamental brain processes could lead to novel treatments for autism and other disorders.

There is also hope the project would boost the economy similar to the way the Human Genome Project did, says the Times. That initiative, which mapped all genes in human DNA, cost $3.8 billion dollars, but netted some $800 billion, according to federal estimates.

LINK(S):

New York Times story (Free)

Transcript of State of the Union address (Free)

Neuron article on Brain Activity Map project (Free abstract)

Published in Physician's First Watch February 19, 2013

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