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- Can Adults Grow New Brain Cells? Understanding the Science Behind Neurogenesis | Sandrine Thuret TED Talk
Can Adults Grow New Brain Cells? Understanding the Science Behind Neurogenesis | Sandrine Thuret TED Talk
Discover the fascinating field of research around growing new nerve cells as an adult. Explore the connections between cancer treatment, brain cell generation, and mental health. Learn from Sandrine Thuret's insights on stimulating neurogenesis for a healthier brain.
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Video Summary & Chapters
1. Neurogenesis and Adult Brain
Discovering the phenomenon of neurogenesis in the adult brain
2. The Hippocampus Tour
Exploring the significance of the hippocampus in neurogenesis
3. Importance of New Neurons
Understanding the functions and significance of new neurons in memory and cognition
4. Neurogenesis and Depression
Exploring the link between neurogenesis and depression treatment
5. Targeting Neurogenesis
Considering neurogenesis as a target for memory, mood, and aging improvement
6. Controlling Neurogenesis
Exploring the factors that influence the production of new neurons
7. Environmental Impact on Neurogenesis
Understanding how the environment affects the generation of new neurons
8. Impact of Activity on Neurogenesis
Running wheel increases new neurons in hippocampus.
9. Effect of Diet on Neurogenesis
Nutrients like flavonoids and Omega-3 impact new neuron production.
10. Dietary Factors Affecting Neurogenesis
Alcohol and high saturated fat negatively impact neuron production.
11. Food Texture and Neurogenesis
Soft diet impairs while mastication improves neuron production.
12. Human Studies on Diet and Neurogenesis
Diet affects memory, mood, and mental health through neuron production.
13. Future Research on Neurogenesis
Understanding new neuron function and survival control.
14. Call to Action for Neurogenesis
Empowering individuals to take charge of their neurogenesis.
Video Transcript
Can we, as adults, grow new nerve cells?
There's still some confusion
about that question,
as this is a fairly new field of research.
For example, I was talking
to one of my colleagues, Robert,
who is an oncologist,
and he was telling me,
"Sandrine, this is puzzling.
Some of my patients that have been told
they are cured of their cancer
still develop symptoms of depression."
And I responded to him,
"Well, from my point of view
that makes sense.
The drug you give to your patients
that stops the cancer cells multiplying
also stops the newborn neurons
being generated in their brain."
And then Robert looked at me
like I was crazy and said,
"But Sandrine, these are adult patients --
adults do not grow new nerve cells."
And much to his surprise, I said,
"Well actually, we do."
And this is a phenomenon
that we call neurogenesis.
[Neurogenesis]
Now Robert is not a neuroscientist,
and when he went to medical school
he was not taught what we know now --
that the adult brain
can generate new nerve cells.
So Robert, you know,
being the good doctor that he is,
wanted to come to my lab
to understand the topic
a little bit better.
And I took him for a tour
of one of the most exciting
parts of the brain
when it comes to neurogenesis --
and this is the hippocampus.
So this is this gray structure
in the center of the brain.
And what we've known already
for very long,
is that this is important for learning,
memory, mood and emotion.
However, what we
have learned more recently
is that this is one of the unique
structures of the adult brain
where new neurons can be generated.
And if we slice through the hippocampus
and zoom in,
what you actually see here in blue
is a newborn neuron
in an adult mouse brain.
So when it comes to the human brain --
my colleague Jonas Frisén
from the Karolinska Institutet,
has estimated that we produce
700 new neurons per day
in the hippocampus.
You might think this is not much,
compared to the billions
of neurons we have.
But by the time we turn 50,
we will have all exchanged the neurons
we were born with in that structure
with adult-born neurons.
So why are these new neurons important
and what are their functions?
First, we know that they're important
for learning and memory.
