News Neuroscience

Human brains make new nerve cells — and lots of them — well into old age

Previous studies have suggested neurogenesis tapers off or stops altogether

nerve cells in hippocampi

NEURON NURSERY  Roughly the same number of new nerve cells (dots) exist in the hippocampus of people in their 20s (three hippocampi shown, top row) as in people in their 70s (bottom). Blue marks the dentate gyrus, where new nerve cells are born.

M. Boldrini/Columbia Univ.

By Laurel Hamers

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