Tag

Neurogenesis

All articles tagged with #neurogenesis

science6 days ago•11 min saved

Decades-long debate over adult human neurogenesis nears resolution with new genetic evidence

The long-standing scientific debate over whether the human brain generates new neurons after childhood is approaching a consensus. While earlier studies using chemical markers yielded conflicting results, recent research using single-nucleus RNA sequencing and machine learning has identified dividing neural progenitors in adult human brains. This suggests the brain retains a capacity for regeneration, potentially opening new avenues for treating neurodegenerative diseases, though questions remain about the maturity and function of these cells.

via Nature|

#brain-regeneration #human-brain #medical-research

science1 month ago•25 min saved

Indole Metabolites and AhR Signaling Offer New Route to Combat Adolescent Depression

Study links reduced microbiota-derived indole metabolites in unmedicated depressed adolescents and CRS-stressed mice to depressive behaviors; supplementing tryptophan or indole derivatives activates AhR signaling, balancing anti- and pro-inflammatory factors, normalizing microglial activation, and promoting hippocampal neurogenesis, thereby alleviating depression-like symptoms. AhR is essential for these effects, suggesting indole-AhR axis as a potential therapeutic target for adolescent depression.

via Nature|

#aryl-hydrocarbon-receptor #gut-microbiota #indole-derivatives

science1 month ago•53 min saved

Two Injections Rebuild Brain Cells in Alzheimer's-Modeled Mice

USC researchers used a Nano-ERASER system to degrade PTBP1 in brain astrocytes, converting them into neurons in Alzheimer’s-model mice. After just two injections, treated mice showed higher neuron density, better performance on nest-building and water maze tasks, and reduced brain inflammation markers, indicating reversal of Alzheimer’s-like damage in these models. The findings are early-stage, demonstrated in mice and brain organoids, with primate and human trials still far off.

via Yahoo|

#alzheimers-disease #astrocytes #nano-eraser

science1 month ago•5 min saved

Two Injections Convert Brain Support Cells into Neurons, Reversing Alzheimer's Signs in Mice

Researchers at the University of South Carolina used Nano-ERASER, an injectable nanogel system that degrades PTBP1 in astrocytes, to trigger astrocyte-to-neuron conversion in brain organoids and Alzheimer’s-like mice. After two injections, treated mice showed improved nesting behavior and better performance in water maze tests, with higher neuron density and reduced disease markers, suggesting repair of neural circuits. While promising, the findings are early-stage and limited to animals; further long-term and primate studies are planned before any human trials.

via ScienceAlert|

#alzheimers-disease #astrocytes #nano-eraser

health-and-medicine1 month ago•8 min saved

Depression May Stop New Brain Cells From Forming in Adults, Altering Memory

A large Columbia-led study shows major depressive disorder disrupts neurogenesis in the adult hippocampus, potentially impairing pattern separation and the ability to store distinct memories. The researchers mapped widespread molecular and epigenetic changes across the hippocampal network, linking inflammation and altered gene programs to depression and suggesting new targets for treatments that classify depression by molecular subtype rather than brain region.

via Science Daily|

#depression #health-and-medicine #hippocampus

health1 month ago•10 min saved

Hippocampal Neurogenesis Halts in Adults with Major Depression

Columbia University researchers link major depressive disorder to stalled adult hippocampal neurogenesis, showing reduced neuron birth impairs pattern separation and emotional memory. Post-mortem analysis of about half a million brain cells reveals gene and epigenetic changes, including inflammation, pointing to neurogenesis as a therapeutic target and suggesting depression could be classified by molecular features rather than brain region.

via News-Medical|

#depression #epigenetics #health

science3 months ago•7 min saved

Inflammation Reprograms Brain Stem Cells to Halt Neurogenesis

A King’s College London study shows chronic TNF-α–driven inflammation stops neurogenesis in the hippocampus by reprogramming neural stem cells into an immune-alert state that recruits inflammatory T cells; blocking Type I interferon signaling with an antibody reverses the effect, restoring neuron production and suggesting therapy avenues for brain fog and cognitive decline.

via Neuroscience News|

#hippocampus #inflammation #neurogenesis

health-and-medicine3 months ago•7 min saved

Rare immature neurons linked to brain resilience against Alzheimer's

A Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience study finds that brains resist Alzheimer's not by housing more immature neurons, but by how these rare cells behave—activating survival programs and dampening inflammation—helping surrounding tissue stay functional even as pathology accumulates; about 30% of older adults with Alzheimer's pathology show no symptoms, and further work using human brain tissue suggests resilience is multifactorial and could point to new therapeutic directions.

via ScienceDaily|

#aging #alzheimers-disease #cognitive-resilience

science3 months ago•10 min saved

Adult Brains Form New Neurons Even at 78, Rewriting Neurogenesis Rules

A 2025 study from Karolinska Institutet provides direct evidence that the adult human hippocampus can generate new neurons, identifying dividing progenitor cells in the dentate gyrus of individuals up to age 78 using single-nucleus RNA sequencing. This supports ongoing adult neurogenesis in at least one brain region, though there is wide individual variation and it does not imply broad brain rejuvenation or immediate therapies; replication is needed to confirm findings and understand drivers of variability.

via Space Daily|

#adult-brain #aging #hippocampus

science5 months ago•7 min saved

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

science6 months ago•7 min saved

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

neuroscience7 months ago•26 min saved

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

health7 months ago•6 min saved

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

science7 months ago•5 min saved

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

science7 months ago•7 min saved

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