According to a new study published in the journal Nature, the human brain retains the ability to produce neurons even in adulthood. Scientists have found that the more active this process is, the better a person’s memory and cognitive functions remain in old age.
Researchers examined brain samples from deceased donors, ranging from young individuals to “super-agers” over the age of 80 who possessed exceptional memory during their lifetimes.
Key Finding of the Study
It was revealed that in individuals with healthy minds, neurogenesis—the formation of new neurons—remains at a high level. Although new neurons account for only 0.01% of the hippocampus (the area responsible for memory), they play a crucial role.
In contrast, the number of new neurons was significantly reduced in patients with Alzheimer’s disease and those with cognitive decline. Interestingly, the group of super-agers was found to have more progenitor (nascent) neurons than any other group.
Scientific Debates
For decades, it was believed that the human brain stopped producing neurons after birth. In recent years, new evidence has challenged this long-standing dogma.
The study’s authors explain that studying this process in the human brain is difficult because it is impossible to conduct the same chemical tests on living humans as those performed on animals. This time, scientists utilized cutting-edge methods, including RNA sequencing and epigenetic markers, to identify the genetic “signature” of the cells.
Why is this study important?
If scientists can understand exactly how the brain produces new neurons in old age, it will pave the way for the development of new medications. Such drugs could stimulate neurogenesis in patients suffering from memory issues or Alzheimer’s disease.
The next step is to determine the precise function of these new neurons, which will require the use of more sensitive imaging technologies.
