Video summary: You can grow new brain cells. Here’s how by Sandrine Thuret

Sandrine Thuret started by recalling how her oncologist colleague, Robert, said that adults cannot grow new neurons. Sandrine corrected him by saying that they can. 

Sandrine talked about how hippocampus is important for the process of neurogenesis, learning, memory, mood and emotions.

Sandrine said that hippocampus is where new neurons are generated. She showed a newborn neuron in an adult mouse brain.

Sandrine said Jonas Frisén from the Karolinska Institutet estimated humans produce 700 new neurons daily in the hippocampus. By the time we turn 50, we will have exchanged all the original neurons for new ones.

Sandrine said new neurons are important for learning and memory. Also, blocking the ability of the adult brain to produce new neurons in the hippocampus blocks certain memory abilities.

Sandrine said neurons are important for memory capacity and for the quality of the memory. They are helpful for adding time to our memory and help to differentiate between very similar memories.

Sandrine said that in an animal model of depression, she has seen that we have a lower level of neurogenesis. (See How does it feel like to be depressed?)

Sandrine said that antidepressants increase the production of these newborn neurons, and decrease the symptoms of depression.

Sandrine talked about how Robert's patients, her oncologist colleague, stopped neurogenesis because of cancer drugs. She said it will take time to generate new neurons that reach normal functions.

Sandrine talked about how neurogenesis is a target of choice for improving memory formation, mood, or even prevent the decline associated with aging or stress. 

Sandrine said we can control neurogenesis. Learning, sex and running increase neurogenesis. Sleep deprivation, stress and getting older decrease it.

Sandrine showed how Rusty Gage from the Salk Institute had a mouse that had a running wheel in its cage. There was a massive increase of the new neurons-to-be.

Sandrine talked about how calorie restriction of 20-30%, intermittent fasting, Omega-3, and flavonoids increase neurogenesis. High saturated fat and alcohol decrease it. (See What Alcohol does to your Brain?)

Sandrine said Japanese have actually shown that soft diet impairs neurogenesis, as opposed to a diet that requires chewing or crunchy food.

Sandrine concluded by saying that neuroscientists need to understand better the function of these new neurons, and how to control their survival and production. 

In the end, Margaret Heffernan thanked Sandrine. She also said that she changed her life as Margaret now eats a lot of blueberries.