Can the adult brain develop new neurons? A new study says yes.

If the memory center of the human brain can develop new cells, it could help people recover from depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), delay the onset of Alzheimer's disease, deepen our understanding of epilepsy and offer new perspectives in memory and learning. If it's not the case, well, that's another way for people to stand out from rodents and birds.

For decades, scientists have wondered if the birth of new neurons, called neurogenesis, was possible in a region of the brain responsible for learning, memory and mood regulation. A growing body of research has suggested that they might, but then a Nature The paper of last year raised doubts.

Now, a new study published today in another group of journals from the Nature family …Nature Medicine"The balance goes back to" yes ". In light of the new study, "I would say that lifelong neurogenesis is an overwhelming case," said Jonas Frisén, a professor at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden. an email. Frisén, who was not involved in the new research, wrote an article about the study in the latest issue of Nature Medicine.

Read the full article: The adult brain is growing new neurons, according to a study