News in Brief Health & Medicine

Zika kills brain cells in adult mice

Virus’s effects could be more far-reaching than thought, finding suggests

mouse brain

VIRAL TARGET In adult mice, Zika virus infects cells (green) in a region of the brain involved in memory and learning. 

H. Li et al/Cell Stem Cell 2016

By Meghan Rosen

- More than 2 years ago

Zika may harm grown-up brains.

The virus, which can cause brain damage in infants infected in the womb, kills stem cells and stunts their numbers in the brains of adult mice, researchers report August 18 in Cell Stem Cell.