![]() The researchers found that trabeculae may influence the risk of heart disease. The researchers also found two of these genes also regulate branching of nerve cells, suggesting a similar mechanism at work in the developing brain as well as the heart. The team discovered six regions in DNA that affect how the fractal patterns in these muscle fibres develop. The researchers suggests that these fibres allow blood to flow more efficiently during each heartbeat, in a similar way to how dimples on a golf ball help it to travel further through the air. The researchers found how this network of muscle fibres, that cover the internal surface of the heart’s chambers, are critical to the performance of the heart. Da Vinci was the first to sketch these muscles in the 16th Century, speculating at the time that they warm the blood as it flows through the heart, however their true importance has not been recognised until now. The findings show how the trabeculae muscles form a repeating geometric pattern known as a fractal, which is seen in other structures from trees to snowflakes. The team wanted to investigate further their role in heart function. The scans showed the intricate structure of these muscle fibre, which are called trabeculae. An additional 1,129 healthy volunteers hearts were scanned at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust and 510 patients with dilated cardiomyopathy- a condition in which the heart becomes enlarged and cannot pump blood effectively- at Royal Brompton Hospital. The team used artificial intelligence (AI) to analyse 25,000 MRI scans of patients’ hearts from the UK Biobank study (from 2014-2020. This work offers an exciting new direction for understanding the heart and shows the potential for bringing together ideas in maths and biology to medical research. “Da Vinci was also intrigued by the link between maths and nature, so it’s fitting that we found that fractal patterns in the heart are so important for its function. Da Vinci sketch and human healthĭr Declan O’Regan from the MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, Director for Imaging Research at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust and lead author of the study, said: “Leonardo da Vinci sketched these intricate muscles inside the heart half a millennium ago, and it is only now that we are beginning to understand how important they are to human health. The team hopes the findings, published in the journal Nature, could help to identify those most at risk of heart failure, one of the leading causes of death worldwide, and inform research into new treatments for the disease. The study, led by researchers from the Medical Research Council (MRC) London Institute of Medical Sciences at Imperial College London, is the first to show how a complex mesh of muscle fibres that line the inner surface of the heart play a vital role in its function by increasing the efficiency of blood flow through the organ. Structures first sketched by artist Leonardo da Vinci are crucial in understanding how the heart works, according to researchers. ![]()
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