--- title: What Is Digital Twin Brain? description: The digital twin of the brain paves the way for virtual neurosurgery, the reprogramming of neural circuits, and new challenges in the global neurotechnology race. image: https://www.nexsynaptic.com/hubfs/DTB.jpg --- [Skip to content](https://www.nexsynaptic.com/blog/digital-twin-brain#main-content) ![AI domain for sale, neuralnetwork domain, premium tech domain, buy domain](https://www.nexsynaptic.com/hubfs/AI-Generated%20Media/Images/image-1.jpeg "AI domain for sale, neuralnetwork domain, premium tech domain, buy domain") [![NEXSYNAPTIC](https://www.nexsynaptic.com/hs-fs/hubfs/pbnv8ivl-1.png?width=207&height=166&name=pbnv8ivl-1.png "NEXSYNAPTIC")](https://www.nexsynaptic.com/premium-domain-sale-technology-1) [Blog Home](https://www.nexsynaptic.com/blog) ![An image showing a human figure and a brain in front of a screen with text overlays reading 'digital twin brain', '86 billion neurons simulated', 'virtual surgery', and 'personalized medicine, '#AI', '#digital twin', and '#neuraltech'](https://www.nexsynaptic.com/hs-fs/hubfs/DTB.jpg?width=1200&height=630&name=DTB.jpg) Neurotechnology # What Is Digital Twin Brain? ![Mary, NexSynaptic Founder](https://www.nexsynaptic.com/hs-fs/hubfs/ChatGPT%20Image%2013.%20svi%202025.%2015_52_44.png?width=48&height=48&name=ChatGPT%20Image%2013.%20svi%202025.%2015_52_44.png) Mary, NexSynaptic Founder December 28, 2025 ## *What Can "Digital Brain" Actually Do?* *Digital Twin Brain is basically a computer "twin" of the human brain: a large model that tries to mimic how the brain behaves. It might sound like science fiction, but the idea is actually very down-to-earth.* ***Digital twin** means digital twin, a computer model of some real system (like a factory, engine, or in this case, the brain) that lets you test scenarios ["](https://www.nexsynaptic.com/blog/spiking-neural-networks-when-ai-starts-thinking-like-the-brain)in simulation" first, before touching the real thing.* ***Brain** is the organ that creates our thoughts, emotions, memories, and everything we experience as "me."* *In the Fudan project, researchers tried to create a digital model that numerically matches the human brain: about 86 billion cells called neurons (nerve cells that process electrical and chemical signals) and a massive network of connections between them. This approach is closely related to [neuromorphic computing](https://www.nexsynaptic.com/blog/neuromorphic-computing), a field that builds hardware and algorithms inspired by real neural activity. * *When it says the model reproduces **BOLD signals**, it means it tries to imitate what doctors see on functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) changes in blood flow and oxygen levels in specific brain areas while we think, sleep, or perform tasks. BOLD stands for Blood-Oxygen-Level Dependent, so the signal "depends on blood oxygen levels." These dynamics are also modeled in [spiking neural networks,](https://www.nexsynaptic.com/blog/spiking-neural-networks) which simulate how neurons fire in real biological systems. * ***Digital Twin Brain is a very sophisticated simulator, but still "just" a simulator.*** *It can, for example:* - *"Run" the virtual brain in resting state and see what activity patterns it creates – like scanning someone's brain while they lie relaxed with eyes closed.* - *Set it to different "states" – wakefulness, light anesthesia, deep anesthesia – and watch how the signal patterns change.* - *Insert data about a **specific patient's real anatomy** (brain scans), so the model is no longer an "average brain" but approximately "your brain on a computer."* *This opens the possibility to test surgery in simulation first: plan where it's safe to "cut" and where there's risk of damaging speech or movement. Similar concepts already exist in **virtual neurosurgery** – surgeons train on computer simulators, which has proven helpful by reducing errors in real operations.* ![Tekst vašeg odlomka-2](https://www.nexsynaptic.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Tekst%20va%C5%A1eg%20odlomka-2.jpg?width=1200&height=630&name=Tekst%20va%C5%A1eg%20odlomka-2.jpg) ## *Why Does Digital Twin Brain Matter?* *Digital Twin Brain **has no consciousness** – no inner sense of self, doesn't feel pain, doesn't "know" it exists.* *Two levels are often confused:* - ***Neural correlates of consciousness** – activity patterns we see when someone is awake, dreaming, or under anesthesia (what instruments measure).* - ***Phenomenal consciousness** – that subjective "what it's like to be me, right now," which we can't directly read from graphs or scans.* ***DTB targets the first:** it tries to faithfully imitate activity patterns. The second, inner experience, remains tied to the living brain, body, and life history and that's still seriously debated in philosophy and cognitive science. This distinction mirrors the broader difference between traditional [artificial neural networks and biologically grounded SNN models. ](https://www.nexsynaptic.com/blog/artificial-vs-spiking)* *Also, the model isn't "the whole brain down to the last molecule." It doesn't capture, for example:* - *all details at the molecular level (e.g., exactly how each drug binds to a specific receptor)* - *the role of support tissue (glial cells, inflammatory processes, blood-brain barrier)* - *long-term plasticity – how the brain changes its connections over years of learning and experience. Long‑term plasticity the brain’s ability to strengthen or weaken synaptic connections over time is explained in our article on [brain plasticity .](https://www.nexsynaptic.com/blog/synapses-brain-plasticity)* *That's why we should beware of exaggerated claims: DTB is a powerful tool, but not a crystal ball that knows everything about our behavior or fate.* * Discussions about digital replicas of the brain naturally connect to broader concerns about psychological continuity and selfhood. Related ethical challenges are examined in our article on [the ethical risks of neural implants. ](https://www.nexsynaptic.com/blog/neural-implants-bci)* ### *Why Is China Important Here?* - *China has been heavily investing in non-human primate (monkey) research for years and before the pandemic supplied over 60% of research animals to Western labs.* - *It has more state centers for primate research than the US, meaning greater capacity for long-term and complex experiments.* - *As part of the China Brain Project, there's talk of the "One Body, Two Wings" structure , one "body" (basic brain research) and two "wings": treating neurological diseases and developing brain-inspired AI. This brain‑inspired approach is also shaping [the future of neuro‑robotics](https://www.nexsynaptic.com/blog/neuro-robotics), where biological principles guide robotic control systems .*   #### *Cognitive Warfare and DTB* *Talk of cognitive warfare is becoming more frequent. It's the idea that battles are no longer fought just with tanks and planes, but by influencing perception, emotions, and decisions: through propaganda, social media, targeted disinformation, and techniques using brain knowledge**. Such scenarios are currently speculative and belong to serious ethical debate, not descriptions of existing programs**.* [**👉The Future of Neuro‑Robotics: Technical Review**](https://www.nexsynaptic.com/blog/the-future-of-neuro-robotics) ![spectrum_chart (1)](https://www.nexsynaptic.com/hs-fs/hubfs/spectrum_chart%20(1).jpg?width=2400&height=1600&name=spectrum_chart%20(1).jpg)   ## *Ethics: Real Questions and Imaginary Threats*   *Already today there are very concrete**[ethical questions](https://nexsynaptic.com/en-us/):*** - ***Who owns data** about your brain and who can access it?* - *Has the **patient** really **understood** what it means to have "their brain simulated" before signing consent?* - *How to **prevent medical data and models from being used for manipulation or discrimination** (e.g., in hiring, insurance, politics)? * - * These issues are central to [responsible AI frameworks](https://www.nexsynaptic.com/en-us/) that aim to ensure transparency, safety, and human oversight. * *There are also speculative but useful as "**stress-tests"**:* - *Could one day behavior of individuals be predicted from simulation with dangerously high accuracy?* - *Could a combination of BCI and models lead to thought surveillance?* ***The second group of questions is not a description of today's reality, but serves to design laws and [ethical frameworks](https://www.nexsynaptic.com/blog/eu-ai-act-2027) in time – so technology doesn't catch us unprepared.***   **References** 1. **Lu, H. et al. (2022).** *Simulation and assimilation of the digital human brain*. arXiv. [https://arxiv.org/abs/2211.15963](https://arxiv.org/abs/2211.15963)​ 2. **Huang, C.-C. et al. (2023).** *Digital Twin Brain: a simulation and assimilation platform for whole human brain*, [https://arxiv.org/abs/2308.01241](https://arxiv.org/abs/2308.01241)​ 3. **Gao, J. et al. (2022).** *Progress of the China brain project*. PMC. [https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10388803/](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10388803/)​ 4. **Zhang, S. (2021).** *China's nonhuman primate advantage in brain-computer interface research*. Slate. [https://slate.com/technology/2021/11/china-brain-computer-interface-research-nonhuman-primates.html](https://slate.com/technology/2021/11/china-brain-computer-interface-research-nonhuman-primates.html)​ 5. **O'Malley, P. et al. (2022).** *Neuroethical considerations of brain projects*. PMC. [https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10073353/](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10073353/) ***Explore related pillars*** *👉 [**Brain Science Guide**](https://www.nexsynaptic.com/brain-science)– Neuroscience, cognition, and brain‑inspired AI.* *👉 [**Ethics Guide**](https://www.nexsynaptic.com/ethics)– Responsible and transparent AI principles.* *👉 [**AI Trends Guide**](https://www.nexsynaptic.com/ai-trends) – Emerging AI technologies and future developments.*    Browse all Neurotecnology articles👉 [Neurotechnology](https://www.nexsynaptic.com/blog/tag/neurotechnology) For a full overview of Neurotechnology, visit the main Guide. → [https://www.nexsynaptic.com/neurotechnology](https://www.nexsynaptic.com/neurotechnology)  *Read more about Neurotechnology & Brain‑Inspired AI👇*   - [*Neuromorphic Computing*](https://www.nexsynaptic.com/blog/neuromorphic-computing) - [*Spiking Neural Networks*](https://www.nexsynaptic.com/blog/spiking-neural-networks) - [*Understanding ANN vs SNN*](https://www.nexsynaptic.com/blog/artificial-vs-spiking) - [*What Is Digital Twin Brain?*](https://www.nexsynaptic.com/blog/digital-twin-brain) - [*Merge Labs and the Future of Non‑Invasive BCI*](https://www.nexsynaptic.com/blog/merge-labs-bci) - [*The Future of Neuro‑Robotics*](https://www.nexsynaptic.com/blog/the-future-of-neuro-robotics) - [*Leading Innovation in Synaptic AI*](https://www.nexsynaptic.com/blog/neuro-robotics) - 👇 *🔙 [Return to the beginning of the journey](https://www.nexsynaptic.com/blog) * *Explore more topics: Ethics • AI Trends • Neurotechnology • Digital Safety • Brain Science • AI Tools • Technology * ## Share this post [mailto:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nexsynaptic.com%2Fblog%2Fdigital-twin-brain](mailto:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nexsynaptic.com%2Fblog%2Fdigital-twin-brain) ## Keep reading ### [![Graphic illustration of human silhouettes entering a building labeled ‘AI’, surrounded by symbols of time, risk and system alerts, representing emerging ethical risks, model drift and governance challenges in modern AI systems](https://www.nexsynaptic.com/hs-fs/hubfs/image%20-%202026-03-06T195439.277.jpg?width=1280&height=720&name=image%20-%202026-03-06T195439.277.jpg) Ethics AI Ethical Risks in 2026: How AI Models Create New Threats](https://www.nexsynaptic.com/blog/ai-models-risks) ### [![Profile of two people, brain and glowing synapses, white text AGI in between,black becground](https://www.nexsynaptic.com/hs-fs/hubfs/AGI.jpg?width=1200&height=630&name=AGI.jpg) Technology Why AGI Will Never Become Human: The Difference Between Biological Intelligence and Machine Cognition](https://www.nexsynaptic.com/blog/agi-vs-human) [*Synaptic intelligence. Human integrity.*](https://www.nexsynaptic.com/manifest)   [Stay Updated](https://www.nexsynaptic.com/blog) ***AI Transparency:** Human-written articles with AI editing; illustrations are either human-made or AI-generated. * [Privacy Policy & Terms of Use](https://www.nexsynaptic.com/privacy-policy) © 2025 NEXSYNAPTIC®   All rights reserved. ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Mary, NexSynaptic Founder", "url" : "https://www.nexsynaptic.com/blog/author/mary" }, "dateModified" : "2026-06-21T21:12:31.614Z", "datePublished" : "2025-12-28T16:43:07.000Z", "headline" : "What Is Digital Twin Brain?", "image" : [ "https://www.nexsynaptic.com/hubfs/DTB.jpg" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://www.nexsynaptic.com/blog/digital-twin-brain", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://www.nexsynaptic.com/hubfs/pbnv8ivl-1.png" }, "name" : "NEXSYNAPTIC" } } ``` ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "WebSite", "description" : "NexSynaptic.com is AI and neurotech platform with a strong commitment to responsible innovation and ethical AI.", "name" : "NexSynaptic", "url" : "https://nexsynaptic.com" } ``` ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@id" : "https://www.nexsynaptic.com/#organization", "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : "https://www.nexsynaptic.com/hubfs/nexsynaptic-logo.png", "name" : "NexSynaptic", "sameAs" : [ "https://www.linkedin.com/company/nexsynaptic" ], "url" : "https://www.nexsynaptic.com" } ``` ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BreadcrumbPage", "itemListElement" : [ { "@type" : "ListItem", "item" : "https://www.nexsynaptic.com/", "name" : "Home", "position" : 1 }, { "@type" : "ListItem", "item" : "https://www.nexsynaptic.com/blog", "name" : "Blog", "position" : 2 }, { "@type" : "ListItem", "item" : "https://www.nexsynaptic.com/blog/digital-twin-brain", "name" : "What Is Digital Twin Brain?", "position" : 3 } ] } ``` ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Mary, NexSynaptic Founder", "url" : "https://www.nexsynaptic.com/author/mary" }, "datePublished" : "2025-12-28T16:43:07+0000", "description" : "The digital twin of the brain paves the way for virtual neurosurgery, the reprogramming of neural circuits, and new challenges in the global neurotechnology race.", "headline" : "What Is Digital Twin Brain?", "image" : "https://146106646.fs1.hubspotusercontent-eu1.net/hubfs/146106646/DTB.jpg", "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://www.nexsynaptic.com/hubfs/nexsynaptic-logo.png" }, "name" : "NexSynaptic" } } ```