Brain Cells Keep Growing During Human Life
One of the debates in the world of science is the growth of brain cells when humans are adults.
The old theory says brain cells will stop growing after teenagers. However, several studies have shown that a number of mammals continue to grow new brain cells.
About a month ago, researchers from the University of California published a paper in the journal Naturedan revealed that brain cells no longer grow after adolescence. The conclusion came after the researchers looked at a sample of hippocampal tissue related to the recalling power of various ages.
However, recent findings by neurobiologists from Columbia University denied the findings. They managed to prove that human brain cells continue to grow even though humans aged over 70 years.
The findings published on Cell Stem use the same method as previous research. They examined the brains of 28 people aged 14 to 79 when they died. Everyone died suddenly in good health.
In this study, scientists not only look for signs of new neural growth but also check the state of the blood vessels in the brain.
As a result, healthy men and women can continue to produce new neurons throughout their lives. Although cross-age, the average size of the hippocampus and the number of new cells that form in the brain are the same.
"We found that parents have the same ability to make thousands of new hippocampal neurons from progenitor cells (stem cells) like younger people," said lead author and neurobiologist Maura Boldrini told Science Alert.
The ability to produce new hippocampal cells is known as the neurogenesis process. Researchers see this process decrease in older people.
Researchers believe, decreased production of neurons and shrinkage of the brain associated with memory loss. It is also the underlying reason why young people find it easier to learn skills and language.
Taking into account the health of the brain at any age by observing the condition of the blood vessels, making this study different from other studies.
According to Boldrini's notes, fewer blood vessels in the elderly are associated with reduced cognitive-emotional resistance.
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