✗ The myth everyone repeats
Once brain cells (neurons) die or are damaged, they cannot regenerate. The brain has a fixed number of neurons from birth.
✓ What is actually true
Research beginning in the 1990s demonstrated that neurogenesis, the generation of new neurons, occurs throughout life, particularly in the hippocampus and olfactory bulb. While the brain doesn't regenerate like skin or liver, it has significant neuroplasticity and can form new neural connections. This discovery revolutionized neuroscience and has implications for treating neurodegenerative diseases.
Reception
The receipts 2 sources
- Nature Neuroscience: NeurogenesisPRIMARY
- Cell: Adult NeurogenesisPRIMARY