A positive study about adult neurogenesis

This recent French study, called "Adult neurogenesis promotes balance recovery after vestibular loss", reflects the amazing recuperative capacity of the human brain -- in this case, the vestibular system. But there's also a reference to other areas of the brain that have exhibited such neurogenesis, including the "auditory brain stem nuclei and sensory motor cortex".

Adult neurogenesis promotes balance recovery after vestibular loss

Tighilet B1, Chabbert C2.

Author information

1

    Aix Marseille Université-CNRS, Laboratoire de Neurosciences Sensorielles et Cognitives, LNSC UMR 7260, Equipe Physiopathologie et Thérapie des Désordres Vestibulaires, Marseille, France. Electronic address: brahim.tighilet@univ-amu.fr.

2

    Aix Marseille Université-CNRS, Laboratoire de Neurosciences Sensorielles et Cognitives, LNSC UMR 7260, Equipe Physiopathologie et Thérapie des Désordres Vestibulaires, Marseille, France.

Abstract

A phenomenon called vestibular compensation occurs after peripheral vestibular loss. This process involves a mosaic of profound structural rearrangements within the vestibular nuclei. Among them, adult reactive neurogenesis is perhaps the most unexpected, as it occurs in a brain area that was never reported as neurogenic before. Both the survival and functionality of this newly generated neuronal network depend on its integration into preexisting networks in the deafferented structure. Far from being aberrant, this organization allows the brain to use inputs from other sensory modalities to facilitate the restoration of posture and equilibrium. This is the best example so far of the reparative role of adult neurogenesis. Recent findings show that a similar phenomenon exists in other brain sensory structures, such as auditory brain stem nuclei and sensory motor cortex. This raises questions about the putative functional relevance of the reactive neurogenesis.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30658127

This recent French study, called "Adult neurogenesis promotes balance recovery after vestibular loss", reflects the amazing recuperative capacity of the human brain -- in this case, the vestibular system. But there's also a reference to other areas of the brain that have exhibited such neurogenesis, including the "auditory brain stem nuclei and sensory motor cortex".

 

Adult neurogenesis promotes balance recovery after vestibular loss

 

Tighilet B1, Chabbert C2.

 

Author information

 

1

    Aix Marseille Université-CNRS, Laboratoire de Neurosciences Sensorielles et Cognitives, LNSC UMR 7260, Equipe Physiopathologie et Thérapie des Désordres Vestibulaires, Marseille, France. Electronic address: brahim.tighilet@univ-amu.fr.

2

    Aix Marseille Université-CNRS, Laboratoire de Neurosciences Sensorielles et Cognitives, LNSC UMR 7260, Equipe Physiopathologie et Thérapie des Désordres Vestibulaires, Marseille, France.

 

Abstract

 

A phenomenon called vestibular compensation occurs after peripheral vestibular loss. This process involves a mosaic of profound structural rearrangements within the vestibular nuclei. Among them, adult reactive neurogenesis is perhaps the most unexpected, as it occurs in a brain area that was never reported as neurogenic before. Both the survival and functionality of this newly generated neuronal network depend on its integration into preexisting networks in the deafferented structure. Far from being aberrant, this organization allows the brain to use inputs from other sensory modalities to facilitate the restoration of posture and equilibrium. This is the best example so far of the reparative role of adult neurogenesis. Recent findings show that a similar phenomenon exists in other brain sensory structures, such as auditory brain stem nuclei and sensory motor cortex. This raises questions about the putative functional relevance of the reactive neurogenesis.

 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30658127

Thanks for posting this. I am very glad to see that the research is starting to point in the right directions, namely neural circuit dynamics and in this article above, adult neurogenesis.  Both of these areas are intimately tied to the plasticity and accommodative mechanisms that the CNS has at its disposal to reestablish homeostasis after acute stressors.(in this case deafferentation)

Adult neurogenesis also plays a critical role in the olfactory bulb and the hippocampus.