Shrews Shrink Their Brains for Winter, Then Regrow Them
TL;DR
Shrews reduce brain size by about 30% in winter to conserve energy and regrow it in spring; new research traces the genetic basis of Dehnel's phenomenon, showing upregulated brain-formation genes, VEGFA, DNA repair and longevity pathways, and water-regulation changes that imply reversible brain-volume loss rather than neuron death—offering clues for neurodegenerative disease research.
- Shrews Can Shrink Their Brains by 30%. Here's How They Grow It Back. ScienceAlert
- Scientists found that this tiny mammal ‘regrows’ its brain in winter. And it could help cure Alzheimer’s BBC Wildlife Magazine
- Small mammals shrink their brains to survive winter Earth.com
- How small mammals shrink their brains to survive the cold Phys.org
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