Neocortical Neurogenesis in Humans is Restricted to Development

Overview

Journal Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A

Specialty Science

Date 2006 Aug 12

PMID 16901981

Citations 170

Authors

Ratan D Bhardwaj

Maurice A Curtis

Kirsty L Spalding

Bruce A Buchholz

David Fink

Thomas Bjork-Eriksson

Claes Nordborg

Fred H Gage

Henrik Druid

Peter S Eriksson

Jonas Frisen

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Stem cells generate neurons in discrete regions in the postnatal mammalian brain. However, the extent of neurogenesis in the adult human brain has been difficult to establish. We have taken advantage of the integration of (14)C, generated by nuclear bomb tests during the Cold War, in DNA to establish the age of neurons in the major areas of the human cerebral neocortex. Together with the analysis of the neocortex from patients who received BrdU, which integrates in the DNA of dividing cells, our results demonstrate that, whereas nonneuronal cells turn over, neurons in the human cerebral neocortex are not generated in adulthood at detectable levels but are generated perinatally.

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