Akshay Kelshiker, Applied Sciences, Spring 2021
Figure 1: A photo of the fractal pattern of a lightning bolt. (Image Source: Wikimedia Commons)
Recent scientific research has explored the intersection of mathematics and medicine. The study of fractals in medicine in particular is a rapidly growing area that could assist physicians in diagnosing and treating diseases. In mathematics, fractals are defined as infinitely recurring patterns, created by repeating a process many times in a self-similar loop (“What are Fractals,” n.d.). Fractals may seem too abstract to be applied to medicine; however, fractal organization is ubiquitous in both nature and the body.
For example, respiration is the purpose of the lungs as well as the branches of a tree. Both have a fractal geometry which provides a greater surface area for gas exchange. The amount of gas (oxygen and carbon dioxide) that can be exchanged in the lungs and leaves is directly proportional to their surface area. Non-living entities – lightning bolts, snowflakes, mountains, and countless others – exhibit fractal geometry too (“Fractals in the Body,” n.d.).
Figure 2: A picture of a tree exhibiting fractal patterns. (Image Source: Wikimedia Commons)
Interestingly, fractal patterns in the body change during disease. Scientists have noted patterns within the grey and white matter of the brain for survivors of childhood medulloblastoma, a common type of brain cancer, that are different from the patterns in the general population (Thamrin, Stern, & Frey, 2010). Additionally, changes in the shape and complexity of neural networks in the brain have also been observed in children with dyslexia (Thamrin, Stern, & Frey, 2010). This means that fractal patterns in the body may serve as biomarkers for the diagnosis of diseases and their development.
The intersection of math and medicine is a relatively new locus of study. The extent to which fractals are present in our body remains to be determined, but emerging technologies that utilize AI and machine learning could help detect normal and abnormal fractal patterns. In the coming years, as the relationship between math and medicine is further explored, fractals could be seen as an invaluable marker for the onset and progression of disease
References
Fractals in the Body. (n.d.). Fractal Foundation.Retrieved from http://fractalfoundation.org/OFC/OFC-1-2.html
Thamrin, C., Stern, G., & Frey, U. (2010). Fractals for Physicians Paediatric Respiratory Reviews11(2), 123-131. doi:10.1016/j.prrv.2010.02.001
What are Fractals? (n.d.). Fractal Foundation.Retrieved from