US-China Hegemony Competition, Now Spreading to the Brain?

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Chun-hee] The power struggle between the United States and China is extending to one of humanity's last unconquered frontiers: the brain. The U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) has launched a large-scale 'BRAIN Initiative 2.0' project, while the Chinese government has started the 'China Brain Project (CBP),' marking the beginning of their journey to conquer the brain.

According to the issue briefing "Is the US-China Brain Research Technology Hegemony Competition Beginning?" by the Korea Bio Association's Bioeconomy Research Center on the 13th, both the U.S. and China declared large-scale investments in brain research around the same time.

U.S. Invests 7 Trillion Won in Brain Research

First, on the 22nd of last month, the NIH announced the launch of the BRAIN Initiative 2.0 project aimed at transforming the understanding of brain cell types and uncovering the brain's complex mechanisms. BRAIN stands for 'Brain Research Through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies.'

The BRAIN Initiative began in 2014 to understand the 86 billion cells in the brain and the quadrillion connections formed between these cells. It is considered comparable to the 'Human Genome Project,' which decoded the base sequences that make up the human genome. Through the 'brain map' depicting the distribution of brain cells, researchers study how the human brain functions and how diseases affect it. The goal is to understand the composition of brain regions and ultimately provide new approaches to treating brain disorders.

Infographic of the 'BRAIN Initiative' by the Barack Obama Administration

The core of the BRAIN Initiative 2.0 is to build a three-dimensional 'human brain cell map,' a long-standing goal of neuroscientists. To this end, the NIH plans to invest an additional $600 million on top of the $2.4 billion (approximately 3.4188 trillion won) already invested in the existing project, aiming for a total investment of $5 billion (about 7.1225 trillion won) by 2026.

Scientists from institutions across the U.S., including the Salk Institute, Duke University, and the Broad Institute, are expected to participate in BRAIN Initiative 2.0. This effort is anticipated to provide answers to fundamental questions about the brain?the body's most complex organ?such as the shapes of all cells in the brain, how they are interconnected, what changes occur during disease onset, and what can be done based on these findings.

China Also Makes Large-Scale Investment in Brain Research

China has also begun large-scale investment in brain research with the China Brain Project (CBP). According to the international journal Science on the 20th of last month, China launched the ambitious CBP for neuroscience. Initially, it will start with a budget of 5 billion yuan (approximately 993 billion won) over five years, but additional investments are possible, and it is expected to be pursued at a level comparable to the U.S. BRAIN Initiative and the European Union's 'Human Brain Project.'

The CBP focuses on three areas: nerves responsible for cognitive functions, diagnosis and treatment of brain disorders, and brain-inspired computing. The ultimate goal is to provide data for a program creating brain maps of macaque monkeys, whose brains are 200 times larger than those of mice. Additionally, considering criticisms that the U.S. and EU projects are unrealistic, China plans to leverage its strength in 'whole-brain 3D imaging and mapping of activated neurons' technology to provide foundational data for understanding and identifying various brain cell types.

[Image source=Getty Images Bank]

The fact that the world's leading powers, the U.S. and China, are simultaneously making large-scale investments in brain research reflects that the human brain remains one of the greatest challenges in medicine. Despite remarkable achievements in neuroscience in recent years, the causes of most neurological and psychiatric disorders remain unknown. Meanwhile, neurological and psychiatric diseases such as Alzheimer's dementia, Parkinson's disease, autism, epilepsy, schizophrenia, depression, and traumatic brain injury not only impair the quality of life of patients and their families but also impose significant social costs.

According to industry sources, as of last year, most of the 616 neurological drugs under development focus on Alzheimer's dementia and Parkinson's disease, with 127 and 96 drugs respectively in development. Notably, the recent Phase 3 clinical trial results of 'lecanemab,' jointly developed by Japan's Eisai and U.S. Biogen, showed a 27% slowdown in cognitive decline, raising expectations. Additionally, Roche's 'gantenerumab' and Eli Lilly's 'donanemab' are expected to announce Phase 3 clinical trial results soon, drawing attention to whether breakthroughs in brain disease treatment development will emerge shortly.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.