Can an adult grow new neurons in the human brain?

The observation that the human brain churns out new neurons throughout life is one of the biggest neuroscience discoveries of the past 20 years. read more

Until relatively recently, experts believed the answer was no. But as neuroscientist Sandrine Thuret explains in a new TED Talk, humans can indeed generate new brain cells, a process called neurogenesis. read more

Neurons continue to grow and change beyond the first years of development and well into adulthood, according to a new study. The finding challenges the traditional belief that adult brain cells, or neurons, are largely static and unable to change their structures in response to new experiences. read more

New neurons are born not from mature nerve cells but rather develop from neural stem cells that remain in our brains throughout life. Indeed, in some brain areas, there is continual turnover of neurons - old ones die and new ones are born - and these new neurons can participate in circuits that underlie learning. read more

In adult samples the researchers found no new neurons. “I feel vindicated,” says neuroscientist Pasko Rakic, a longtime, outspoken skeptic of neurogenesis in human adults. The Yale University researcher’s work suggests adult monkeys produce significantly fewer new neurons than do adult rodents. read more