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Neurogenesis

All articles tagged with #neurogenesis

Bird Brain Tunnels Point to New Brain-Repair Strategies
science1 month ago

Bird Brain Tunnels Point to New Brain-Repair Strategies

Researchers studying adult zebra finches used electron microscopy to track newborn neurons migrating by tunneling through mature brain tissue, bulldozing along their path rather than weaving around existing cells. This behavior may help birds learn and repair but could contribute to memory disruption, potentially explaining why humans restrict neurogenesis after birth to protect memories. The findings suggest future stem-cell therapies that activate neurogenesis without relying on glial highways, offering a path toward brain repair with fewer memory costs. The study, led by BU's Benjamin Scott and published in Current Biology, highlights a trade-off between neural plasticity and memory stability and could inform human brain repair approaches.

via Neuroscience News|
#brain#memory#neurogenesis
Brain Switch in the Hippocampus Dictates Pain-Related Depression Risk
science1 month ago

Brain Switch in the Hippocampus Dictates Pain-Related Depression Risk

Large-scale brain imaging and animal studies show chronic pain gradually reshapes the hippocampus; early adaptations (larger volume and higher activity) correlate with resilience, while later changes include reduced hippocampal volume, disrupted activity, and cognitive decline that accompany depression. A dentate gyrus–microglia interaction appears to be a key switch from adaptive to maladaptive responses, and reducing hippocampal inflammation in animals improved depression-like symptoms, suggesting early anti-inflammatory treatment could help prevent pain-induced depression.

via SciTechDaily|
#chronic-pain#depression#hippocampus
One-dose DMT restores mood and brain circuitry in stressed mice
neuroscience2 months ago

One-dose DMT restores mood and brain circuitry in stressed mice

A single dose of DMT given after chronic stress reverses depression-like behaviors in mice, restoring pleasure-seeking and improving cognitive performance, with brain data showing increased hippocampal neurogenesis and corrected neuron placement. In many measures DMT outperformed fluoxetine, and benefits persisted even when dosing occurred under anesthesia, suggesting the conscious psychedelic experience may not be strictly necessary. Timing mattered: post-stress dosing yielded stronger cognitive recovery, underscoring a brain-plasticity window, but researchers caution that mouse results do not guarantee human outcomes and call for further translational work.

via PsyPost|
#depression#dmt#hippocampus
SuperAgers’ brains stay sharp through extra neuron growth
health2 months ago

SuperAgers’ brains stay sharp through extra neuron growth

A Nature study finds SuperAgers (people 80 and older with unusually preserved cognition) generate more new neurons in the hippocampus than other older adults, suggesting that increased neurogenesis may help maintain brain health. The findings point to a unique resilience signature in SuperAgers but are based on post‑mortem, cross‑sectional data, so they show associations rather than proving that boosting neurogenesis prevents dementia. The researchers and clinicians emphasize that lifestyle factors—regular aerobic exercise, a Mediterranean-style diet, lifelong learning, social engagement, and adequate sleep—may support brain renewal and cognitive health.

via Medical News Today|
#aging#cognition#health
Secret Brain-Cell Growth May Drive Superagers' Sharp Memories
science2 months ago

Secret Brain-Cell Growth May Drive Superagers' Sharp Memories

A study of 38 postmortem brains links exceptional memory in superagers to higher hippocampal neurogenesis, finding roughly twice as many immature neurons as in typical older adults; Alzheimer's groups show reduced immature neurons, while genetic data point to stronger synaptic plasticity and BDNF activity in superagers, suggesting neurogenesis as a driver of cognitive resilience and a potential therapeutic target.

via ScienceAlert|
#aging#alzheimers-disease#hippocampus
Super-agers' brains grow more new neurons, preserving memory into old age
science3 months ago

Super-agers' brains grow more new neurons, preserving memory into old age

A Nature-published study from Northwestern and the University of Illinois Chicago finds that adults 80+ who are labeled 'super-agers' generate about twice as many immature hippocampal neurons as typical older adults, suggesting a genetic/molecular basis for preserved cognition and notable brain plasticity, though the small sample size and brain variability warrant cautious interpretation.

via NBC News|
#aging#cognitive-health#hippocampus
Super agers keep generating young neurons into old age
neuroscience3 months ago

Super agers keep generating young neurons into old age

New Nature study finds that older adults with healthy cognition, including 'super agers', continue to produce immature neurons in the hippocampus at higher levels than those with cognitive decline, suggesting persistent neurogenesis may support memory; the neuron fraction is tiny (~0.01%), and the small sample sizes mean results should be interpreted cautiously; researchers hope to harness this process to develop therapies that boost neurogenesis in aging and Alzheimer's.

via Nature|
#aging#hippocampus#memory
Cellular clues explain why some octogenarians stay mentally sharp
science3 months ago

Cellular clues explain why some octogenarians stay mentally sharp

A study of self-described “SuperAgers”—people over 80 with exceptional memory—shows they have more newly formed neurons and a hippocampal environment that supports neurogenesis, along with thicker attention-related brain regions and fewer tau tangles than typical aging. Using multiomic single-cell sequencing across donor brains, researchers found astrocytes and CA1 neurons drive memory retention, suggesting that a combination of genetics and brain-healthy lifestyle supports sustained cognition into advanced age.

via CNN|
#aging#hippocampus#memory
Muscle Protein Cathepsin B May Help Shield the Brain From Alzheimer’s
science3 months ago

Muscle Protein Cathepsin B May Help Shield the Brain From Alzheimer’s

A Florida Atlantic University study shows boosting the muscle-derived protein Cathepsin B in mice with Alzheimer’s preserves memory and brain cell growth, even without reducing amyloid plaques, suggesting muscle signaling to the brain could be a new avenue for neurodegenerative therapies—though benefits did not extend to healthy mice and human relevance remains to be proven.

via SciTechDaily|
#alzheimers-disease#cathepsin-b#muscle-brain-axis
Shrews Shrink Their Brains for Winter, Then Regrow Them
science4 months ago

Shrews Shrink Their Brains for Winter, Then Regrow Them

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.

via ScienceAlert|
#brain-regeneration#dehnels-phenomenon#neurogenesis