Mechanisms underlying adult neurogenesis

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For a long time it was believed that the adult human brain could not make new neurons. Within the last ten years scientists have discovered the adult brain in many different types of species, including humans can develop new neurons. This was a huge breakthrough in neuroscience since these cells provides great hope for treatments that maybe able to replace dying cells for diseases affecting the brain. It is believed that these new neurons come from stem cells within the brain. The stem cells divide to produce progeny, which give rise to immature and then finally the mature neuron that is connected to other neurons and is able to generate electrical signals. One of the places that these new neurons form connections is a place in the brain called the hippocampus, which is important for learning and memory. In order to be able to use the new cells for treatments, we need to understand how the dividing cells turn into neurons and what signals the cell requires in order to become a functional new neuron? We also need to know more about what function the new cells perform? This proposal examines both of these questions and specifically looks at how this protein called doublecortin, which is expressed in the immature neuron may be important to both the development of the new neurons and their role in learning and memory. In order to do this, we will utilize special transgenic mice that have been created without the doublecortin protein and see how many new neurons they are forming and also determine how they perform in behaviors, such as learning and memory. The results from these experiments will provide us with new insight into how the new neuron is formed and what function it has in the adult brain.