In the olfactory bulb, levels of oxytocin rise and peak when new neurons incorporate themselves into neural networks. The findings shed new light on adult neurogenesis and brain plasticity.
A new paper looks at the controversies surrounding adult neurogenesis.
Researchers discover the protein nestin produced in astrocytes plays a role in inhibiting neural differentiation. The study reports nestin does not control adult neurogenesis by acting within neural stem cells, but by regulating Notch signals neural stem cells receive from astrocytes.
Researchers report newborn granule cells in the dentate gyrus become less excitable after three weeks. The loss of excitability is crucial for the functioning of mature neurons.