Genetic Switch Prompts Brain Cell Growth
Neuroscientists from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine have identified one of the mechanisms at work in the process of new brain cell generation. They found that cell growth involves a change in gene expression (an epigenetic change).
Adult Neural Stem Cell Neurogenesis
Since an epigenetic change persists through cell division, the scientists believe that further unravelling of this mechanism may shed light on the processes by which memories are formed and behaviors and skills are learned.
“How is it that when you see someone you met ten years ago, you still recognize them? How do these transient events become long lasting in the brain, and what potential role does the birth of new neurons play in making these memories?” says Hongjun Song, Ph.D., an associate professor of neurology and member of the Johns Hopkins Institute of Cell Engineering’s NeuroICE. “We really want to understand how daily life experiences trigger the birth and growth of new neurons, and make long-lasting changes in the brain.”
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