By Ben Brumfield | August 2, 2016 | Atlanta, GA

It’s called mental imbalance for a reason. Sanity hangs, in part, in the gentle balance of chemicals strung together within regions of the brain in an intricate matrix.

In schizophrenia, the matrix is sharply jarred, debilitating the mind and triggering hallucinations. Now, researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology have created an interactive model of that matrix to fast-track research and treatment of the tormenting disorder.

It uses massive amounts of research data to simulate major systemic chemical changes in the brains of schizophrenia sufferers, but then depicts them in simple, colorful graphics.

Clinicians could use the interactive model to help patients and their loved ones better understand the chemical underpinnings of the disease and therapeutic alternatives. And researchers could test out hypotheses virtually, quickly, and easily, and get a better overall sense of the disease.