In news– Recently, the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology launched first of its kind, latest, world’s most sophisticated MRI facility at the National Brain Research Centre (NBRC), Manesar Haryana.
About new MRI facility–
- With this facility, India embarks on new frontiers of human Neuroscience with a unique and powerful 3T MRI platform of outstanding performance.
- MRI Scanner Prisma from Siemens, Germany is being used by several international initiatives, like Brain initiative of USA, the European human brain project.
- This new facility can run intense scanning modalities very fast, which reduces the scanning time for patients by almost a quarter from earlier generation machines.
- This is being used to develop human cohort data for patients suffering from common brain and mental health disorders including Parkinson’s Disease, Alziemer’s Disease, anxiety, depression, PTSD, bipolar, anxiety, depression etc.
- It can detect and quantify highly sensitive receptors and antioxidants from the brain which has a direct link with onset of various brain disorders like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and psychiatric disorders.
- The machine is equipped to detect brain sodium levels, which has direct relevance for assessment of brain tumors non-invasively.
- Also, heavy metal deposition in the brain due to pollution or many other factors can be quantified as necessary for various psychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders.
What is Magnetic Resonance Imaging(MRI)?
- MRI is a medical imaging technique used in radiology to form pictures of the anatomy and the physiological processes of the body.
- MRI scanners use strong magnetic fields, magnetic field gradients, and radio waves to generate images of the organs in the body.
- MRI is the most frequently used imaging test of the brain and spinal cord.
- It’s often performed to help diagnose: Aneurysms of cerebral vessels, disorders of the eye and inner ear.
The National Brain Research Centre (NBRC)-
- NBRC is an autonomous institute funded by the Department of Biotechnology, Government of India.
- Govt. of India has recognised NBRC as an Institution of Excellence.
- It was established in the year 1999 as an autonomous institution under the Societies Registration Act of 1860.
- The NBRC, engaged in brain research, has deemed University status.
- NBRC is devoted to studying brain functions in health and diseases using innovative multidisciplinary approaches in basic and translational research.
- Research at NBRC is classified into five divisions, namely Cellular and Molecular, Systems, Cognitive, Computational, and Translational.
Source: PIB
