Sensory experience and rest control survival of newborn neurons in adults
Wednesday, September 7, 2011 - 18:31
in Biology & Nature
When it comes to the circuits that make up the olfactory system, it seems that less is more. Much like the addition and elimination of extra synapses that helps fine-tune brain circuitry, the olfactory system continues to produce and remove neurons throughout life. Yet it is not entirely clear how and why some newborn neurons are preserved while others are eliminated. Now, new research reveals that both olfactory experience during feeding and a subsequent period of rest contribute to both the likelihood that a new olfactory neuron will escape elimination and be incorporated into existing circuitry.