Model Synaptic Plasticity in Human Brain Organoids

CNS-3D Plasticity Organoids pair two human iPSC-derived cortical organoids in a custom electrode array plate, forming a connected neural network trainable through electrical stimulation. This model enables functional assessment of drug candidate effects on learning-related pathways, including network potentiation and synaptic plasticity.

Functional electrophysiological data can be combined with conventional molecular and structural endpoints for an integrated evaluation of drug candidate effects on learning-related circuit function. This enables researchers developing therapies for cognitive decline and neurodegenerative disease to assess drug effects on learning response, rather than relying solely on static disease biomarkers. CNS-3D Plasticity Organoids are available through Cognitive Biomarker Services for end-to-end study design, execution, and analysis.

Key Advantages

Trainable Human
Neural Model

Pair two human iPSC-derived cortical organoids into a connected neural network trainable through electrical stimulation.

Functional Learning
Insights

Measure drug effects on learning-related plasticity rather than static disease biomarkers.

Flexible Study
Designs

Combine any CNS-3D Organoid type to study plasticity in disease-relevant contexts.

Application

Network Potentiation

Evaluate drug candidate effects on network potentiation, a core mechanism of human learning and memory.

By measuring evoked network activity before and after repeated stimulation, CNS-3D Plasticity Organoids capture synaptic potentiation, the mechanism underlying learning and memory. Daily training induces a significant, progressive, and pharmacologically tunable increase in evoked response, providing a human-relevant assay to evaluate drug candidates that enhance, protect, or restore learning-related pathways.

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Daily training stimulation drives progressive network potentiation in CNS-3D Plasticity Organoids, an effect accelerated by BDNF and abolished by NMDA-receptor blockade (AP-5).

Application

Neural Plasticity

Evaluate drug candidate effects on reward-based learning in a virtual maze-navigation task.

In this assay, CNS-3D Plasticity Organoids navigate a virtual maze, using evoked network activity to drive movement and receiving reward or penalty stimulation based on performance—a human neural model analog to classic rodent maze-learning assays. Real-time feedback training improves maze performance, including points scored and survival time, offering a human-relevant assay to evaluate drug candidate enhancement or impairment of learning.

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Trained CNS-3D Plasticity Organoids show increasing points scored and survival time across five days of training, while untrained organoids show little change.

Offerings

Services

How We Work Together

CNS-3D Plasticity Organoids are available through Cognitive Biomarker Services for end-to-end study design, execution, and analysis. Our scientists partner with your team at every stage, from initial alignment on study goals to final data review.

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