Lab-grown 'mini-brains' could help diagnose schizophrenia, bipolar disorder

Technology Dec 31, 2025

Scientists at Johns Hopkins have created lab-grown "mini-brains" that can spot signs of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
These tiny organoids, made from patient cells, mimic the brain's prefrontal cortex and could make diagnosing these conditions much more accurate—moving away from just symptom checklists.

How it works—and why it matters

Using machine learning, the team identified unique brain activity patterns in the mini-brains with 83% accuracy (and up to 92% when electrically stimulated).
As researcher Annie Kathuria put it, these organoids can actually tell healthy brains apart from affected ones based on their electrical signals.
This breakthrough could also help test new treatments and personalize care for people living with these disorders.