Old fogies can still make new brain cells, study says
- 6 years ago
NEW YORK — A new study claims the brain continues to produce hundreds of new neurons daily, even in older people, in a process called neurogenesis.
Scientists from the University of Columbia published their results in the journal Cell Stem Cell on Thursday.
Lead researcher Dr. Maura Boldrini and her team examined the brains of 28 dead people age 14 to 79 to see if aging affects neuron production, according to the L.A. Times.
The team looked for the presence of neurons in different stages of development, including stem cells, intermediate progenitor cells, immature neurons and new neurons.
The study only looked at the hippocampus, partly because previous studies have shown that part of the brain is one of the few areas that can make new neurons into adulthood, according to the L.A. Times.
Boldrini and her team found similar numbers of neural progenitor cells and immature neurons, regardless of age.
The team concluded that the human brain can produce neurons even as people grow old.
Scientists from the University of Columbia published their results in the journal Cell Stem Cell on Thursday.
Lead researcher Dr. Maura Boldrini and her team examined the brains of 28 dead people age 14 to 79 to see if aging affects neuron production, according to the L.A. Times.
The team looked for the presence of neurons in different stages of development, including stem cells, intermediate progenitor cells, immature neurons and new neurons.
The study only looked at the hippocampus, partly because previous studies have shown that part of the brain is one of the few areas that can make new neurons into adulthood, according to the L.A. Times.
Boldrini and her team found similar numbers of neural progenitor cells and immature neurons, regardless of age.
The team concluded that the human brain can produce neurons even as people grow old.