President Obama announces brain mapping project

US president Barack Obama has announced plans to launch a ten-year project to examine and record activity in the human brain.

The Brain Activity Map Project could begin as early as March and is expected to cost $3 billion (£1.94 billion) over the next decade, the New York Times reports.

In his State of the Union Address, Mr Obama highlighted the example of the human genome project, which significantly improved genetic research.

"Every dollar we invested to map the human genome returned $140 to our economy," Mr Obama stated.

Analysts suggest the same fiscal benefits could be returned from the Brain Activity Map Project.

It is also hoped it will provide essential insight into potential treatments and possible cures for neurological diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.

The announcement of this initiative comes after King's College London announced it is part of a European syndicate that has been awarded more than €1 billion (£0.86 billion) to produce a complete computer simulation of the brain.

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