Sunday, August 19, 2007

Brain cells work differently than previously thought

Source: University of California - Irvine
Date: August 19, 2007

Summary:

Scientists know that information travels between brain cells along hairlike extensions called axons. For the first time, researchers have found that axons don’t just transmit information – they can turn the signal up or down with the right stimulation. This finding may help scientists develop treatments for psychiatric disorders such as depression and schizophrenia in which it is thought that different parts of the brain do not communicate correctly with each other.