In his State of the Union Address, President Barack Obama made mention of a major scientific initiative; notably, that of mapping the human brain in an effort to understand how it works - and what happens when it doesn't work.
According to the New York Times, the initiative is dubbed the "Brain Activity Map" and is seeking about $300 million annually over a decade as part of the budget the President will present to Congress.
The Brain Activity Map would involve the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the National Science Foundation, and several private organizations, calling to mind the Human Genome Project.
Said the President:
"Scientists are mapping the human brain to unlock the answers to Alzheimer's ... Now is not the time to gut these job-creating investments in science and innovation. Now is the time to reach a level of research and development not seen since the height of the Space Race."
This initiative would further the work done by neuroscientists and other researchers into the functions and malfunctions of the brain. It would contribute to the enormous advances in this area of study with hopes toward making great strides in treating patients with brain injury among others.
Source: Med Page Today
