Sound can condition the development of neurons

2000/03/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Osasuna

A team of researchers from Connecticut says that whoever hears Txoria, or does not hear it, can condition the development of newly created neurons.

In birds and, as recently demonstrated in humans, new neurons are created in adulthood, but in order to take advantage of their possible applications it is essential to understand the life and death of neurons. To advance this knowledge they have studied the area of the brain that controls the hearing of birds, or rather, the survival of neurons in the area.

For this purpose, several specimens of fungi were desiccated and a radioactive marker was introduced both in these specimens and in others with normal hearing. The appearance of the marker in emerging neurons allowed researchers to follow the development process of these neurons. According to the results of the study, fewer new neurons were generated in the cut birds, but with more life. Therefore, the ear influences the development of neurons, although it cannot yet be said that deafness prolongs the life of neurons.