Older Brains Replenish Cells Just Like Young Brains, Study Finds

A study published in Cell Stem Cell suggests the brains of older people can replenish cells in the hippocampus region as well as those of younger people, reports HealthDay News . The researchers found both old and young brains could generate the same number of new neurons from more primitive "progenitor" cells in the hippocampus. They examined autopsied brain tissue from 28 people between the ages of 14 and 79 who had died suddenly, but had previously been healthy. None were diagnosed with dementia or any neurological or psychiatric disorder. The team generally observed that older and younger brains had similar numbers of "intermediate" progenitor cells and "immature" neurons, which indicated that older people had a similar capacity for producing new cells as young people. However, the older brains exhibited less angiogenesis, and also possessed a smaller pool of progenitor cells in one region of the hippocampus. The researchers think by comparing healthy older brains and dementia-affected brains, scientists could better understand why some people's cognitive abilities continue well into old age, while others decline. The possibility is of cultivating new dementia treatments.