What Is Neurogenesis And Neuroplasticity?
The past decade has seen an explosion of interest in the brain ability to change and adapt in response to experience, a process known as neuroplasticity. A key form of neuroplasticity is neurogenesis, the formation of new neurons. This blog will explore what we know about neurogenesis and its potential role in brain health and diseases.
Neurogenesis is the process by which new nerve cells are generated from neural stem cells. This process occurs throughout life in certain areas of the brain, including the hippocampus and cortex. Neuroplasticity is the brain ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections in response to experience. This flexibility allows the brain to adapt to changes in the environment and learn new information.
There is evidence that neurogenesis may play a role in brain diseases such as Alzheimer and Parkinson . However, more research is needed to understand how neurogenesis contributes to these diseases and whether boosting neurogenesis could help treat them.
Some lifestyle factors have been shown to affect neurogenesis. Exercise, for example, increases the proliferation of neural stem cells and promotes the survival of newly-generated neurons. Stress, on the other hand, has been shown to reduce neurogenesis.
While we are still learning about the role of neurogenesis in brain health, the hope is that by understanding this process we can develop new treatments for conditions that currently have no cure.