Scientists have proven that the brain can grow new neurons for life
Health / / December 19, 2019
Learn how to run this process - to protect from depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and even Alzheimer's disease.
Nerve cells to regenerate. This thesis is, at first glance, does not seem news. But in fact, the scientific world are still arguing about that.
In 2018 in articlePublished in the journal Nature, experts have begun to doubt: but whether there is a general neurogenesis in adulthood? The researchers found clear rise in the number of new neurons in children. But they did not reveal the same processes in people older than 18 years.
In 2019 a new study returned the balance: neurogenesis in the adult still found! This is stated in article, Which was published in the edition of Scientific American.
Layfhaker specified details.
Why new neurons in adults not previously detected
Maybe the whole thing in a technical error. Researchers from the Autonomous University of Madrid have tested various methods of preservation brain tissue 58 dead people. It was found that different methods lead to different conclusions. Just enough to change the way the brain storage - and cell markers, notes the existence of new neurons are destroyed.
Llorens Maria Martin, a neuroscientist at the Autonomous University of MadridAfter 12 hours of new neurons markers disappear. New nerve cells are there, but we can not detect them.
The Spaniards have put forward a version of: before the researchers found no new neurons in the brains of adults only because the brain was stored properly.
Agree with it and other scientists. So, Professor, University of Texas Jenny says these things, that the withdrawal of Spanish explorers - a lesson: "We need to carefully treat the technical aspects."
How to found an association of new neurons, and Alzheimer's disease
Llorens Martin began to collect and store brain samples in 2010, when I first realized that the problem with the search for neurogenesis in the adult may be in the wrong store. Further, together with a team of other scientists, she researched the brain of two categories of people. The first - those who died with intact memories. Second - those who died at different stages Alzheimer's disease.
The researchers found that the hippocampus (a brain region responsible for memory) of people with Alzheimer's disease of new neurons is significantly less than healthy.
For comparison: in the hippocampus of 78-year-old man who died in sound mind and memory, was found about 23 000 new neurons per cubic millimeter of brain tissue. At the same, who passed away in the midst of Alzheimer's disease - about 10,000 per cubic millimeter.
According to the Spaniards, reducing the number of new neurons - if it was found in the living the brain - could be an early symptom of Alzheimer's. And yet, perhaps this disease altogether could be avoided if in time to make the hippocampus to grow new cells.
However, we can talk not only about Alzheimer's disease.
The new neurons can be useful to you personally
Neurogenesis has been opened in 1998, neuroscientist Rusty Gage - now president of the Salk Institute for Biological Studies. Today Gage - one of those who applauded the new research.
According to the professor, the ability of the hippocampus to grow new nerve cells is of great importance. In particular, that it protects against the development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Animal studies have shown that neurogenesis helps them distinguish between two similar events. Brains of people with PTSD also can not do it. Therefore, in a situation of this it reacts as rapidly as in the traumatic events of the past. Most likely, the reason is that in the hippocampus of patients with PTSD stop producing new neurons.
The same experiments on animals have established other relationships. There neurogenesis - means the animal is more resistant to stressful situations. No neurogenesis - the brain is more susceptible to mood disorders until depression. Yes, and with cognitive functions it becomes less so.
How to make the brain to create new neurons
Experiments on humans have not yet been conducted. But to improve neurogenesis in mice and rats, the scientists have already succeeded. And the simple methods: the animals were forced to simply move more encouraged to communicate with each other and explore something new.
Most likely, the same techniques will work on humans. "This is unlikely to help in the later stages of Alzheimer's disease. But if you begin to act in the early stages, we could slow down or even prevent the loss neuroplasticity"- says Maria Llorens Martin.
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