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Pigs’ brain size and digestive system are excellent analogs for human newborns Before humans can benefit from new drug therapies and nutritional additives, scientists test their safety and efficacy in animals, typically mice and rats. But, as much as they've done for biomedical research, rodents aren't always the best research model for studies on neonatal brain development and nutrition. That's where pigs can play an important role. University of Illinois researchers say the domestic pig is ideal for these studies because their brain size, rate of development, and digestive system are exce...

 E-Mail IMAGE: Using a newly developed pig brain atlas, University of Illinois researchers show no major differences in pig brain development between pigs in artificial rearing environments vs. sow rearing. The discovery... view more  Credit: Lauren D. Quinn, University of Illinois URBANA, Ill. - Before humans can benefit from new drug therapies and nutritional additives, scientists test their safety and efficacy in animals, typically mice and rats. But, as much as they've done for biomedical research, rodents aren't always the best research model for studies on neonatal brain devel...

Pig brain atlas gives a more precise view of human brain When scientists need to understand the effects of new infant formula ingredients on brain development, it's rarely possible for them to carry out initial safety studies with human subjects. After all, few parents are willing to hand over their newborns to test unproven ingredients. Enter the domestic pig. Its brain and gut development are strikingly similar to human infants - much more so than traditional lab animals, rats and mice. And, like infants, young pigs can be scanned using clinically available equipment, including non-invasive...

 E-Mail IMAGE: University of Illinois researchers have published updated, high-resolution pig brain atlases for young and adolescent animals. The atlases are a crucial component in biomedical research, especially related to infant brain... view more  Credit: University of Illinois College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences URBANA, Ill. - When scientists need to understand the effects of new infant formula ingredients on brain development, it's rarely possible for them to carry out initial safety studies with human subjects. After all, few parents are willing to han...