Humans continue to produce brain cells throughout their lives

The human brain is complex and finding out more about it can be as well. Our brains do a lot for us, and without them, we would be nothing. We, as Humans, are intellectual and technologically advanced, but there is still so much we do not yet know.

The study of the production of Brain Cells has long been debated. It is said that humans stop producing cells after adolescence, however, scientists have recently discovered the opposite; that brain cells continue to produce for the entire life of a human according to The Guardian.

The finding

The Guardian wrote that scientists have discovered that human beings continue to produce new neurons in the part of the brain that's involved with learning, memory, and emotion throughout adulthood.

Neurons are essential for handling learning and memory processes. It was found that neurons are produced in older individuals and that it does not drop off as previously thought.

It was discovered by Doctor Maura Boldrini from Columbia University that "neurons are there throughout a lifetime, it seems that indeed humans are different from mice - where [neuron production] goes down with age really fast." Experiments with mice have been used to find out more about humans throughout many years.

The study was conducted by Boldrini and other colleagues where they looked at individuals aged from 14 to 79 studying the brains, specifically the area of the hippocampus hours after their deaths. These individuals were healthy before death.

The team discovered that thousands of new neurons were produced at the time of death no matter the specific age of the person. Although the production of new neurons does not stop, they found a drop in cells needed to "change" or "rewire." This could explain why people can be more emotionally vulnerable as they age.

Importance

These findings are very important and can be helpful in treating conditions like dementia, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and others that affect many people across the world. Dementia is a serious syndrome in which a person suffers extreme memory loss which greatly interferes with daily activities and functioning.

It remains to be seen what happens to people who smoke or use any kind of drugs and what the permanent effects could be since cells do not stop producing.

It could mean that the effects of smoking and drinking on the brain might not be as bad as initially thought. Obviously, overuse would be detrimental, but occasionally drinking or smoking could not be as damaging to the brain as initially thought.

There are going to be some people who still do not believe the study despite the research and proof. But the underlying point is that there is so much more that we can do and learn about in order to combat disorders of the brain. With this new research, various treatments are on the horizon for use in the battle against devasting illnesses involving the brain. There is hope for the future.