The brain is plastic – adapting to the hundreds of experiences in our daily lives by reorganizing pathways and making new connections between nerve cells. This plasticity requires that memories of new information and experiences are formed fast. So fast that the body has a special mechanism, unique to nerve cells, that enables memories to be made rapidly. Continue reading
The cellular mechanisms that promote long-term cell survival and maintenance of the adult nervous system are only poorly-understood, in spite of their clinical relevance. A study from the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto and the University of Toronto has identified one such mechanism in brain stem cells that may be important for healthy cognitive aging. Continue reading
