Strange New Type of Brain Cell Discovered

I think ATS may find this to be of interest. While studying Mice, researchers have found a new type of brain cell which seems to defy current understandings of how the brain works. This new cell, located in the Hippocampus, has researchers intrigued because of its strange shape and strange properties. It uses a special Dendrite to influence behavior of the nerve cell. Check it out.

Though neurons come in different shapes and sizes, the basic blueprint consists of a cell body, from which protrudes spindly appendages called dendrites and axons. Dendrites are branchlike structures that receive signals from other nerve cells and deliver them to the cell body. The neuron then processes the signals and zaps along information to the next cell via a long projection called the axon.

At least, that's how it normally works. The newly discovered cells have a different, and until now, unknown process. In these cells, the signals skip the cell body altogether, instead traveling along an axon that projects directly from one of the dendrites.

The new cells were discovered in the mouse brain. Specifically, they are found in the hippocampus, a deep-brain structure involved in memory and navigation. Humans have the same general brain structure and types of hippocampus cells as mice.

The hippocampus is home to extensively branched neurons called pyramidal cells, so dubbed because of their triangular cell bodies. To map out the connections between these cells, researchers used a fluorescent red protein that stuck to the origin of each axon protruding from a cell.

The team expected the axons to extend from the cell bodies. Instead, they saw that in many cases, the axons emerged from the branching dendrites instead. The base of the hippocampus is divided into areas labeled CA1, CA2, CA3 and CA4. The most common site for strangely shaped cells was in the CA1 region, where about 50 percent of cells had dendrite-originating axons. About 28 percent of cells in the CA3 region were the newly discovered shape.

Brain science is not my area of expertise but I'm sure someone here on ATS will appreciate this information.

news.yahoo.com...

a reply to: lostbook

Clearly,
That new brain cell was discovered right here.
Amongs't us mice on ATS.
Guaranteed.

S&F

Found in mice. That explains why I am a little different

Reminds me of how scientists discovered a new tendon in the human knee several months ago. Another tiny piece of the puzzle falls into place. Very fascinating

a reply to: lostbook

So, basically a hard-wire bypass built into the switch if I understand correctly, whereby input guarantees a specific output either with or without the selective output of the switch?

This sounds potentially related to "reflex" reaction to my layman's mind.

originally posted by: The Vagabond
a reply to: lostbook

So, basically a hard-wire bypass built into the switch if I understand correctly, whereby input guarantees a specific output either with or without the selective output of the switch?

This sounds potentially related to "reflex" reaction to my layman's mind.

Or the Flight/Fight/Fright mechanism. It would make sense. These cells are probably why we are able to go into shock and save ourselves, or block out memories or events but then recall them years later like they are just happening (mostly PTSD and other Anxiety Disorders). This is pretty cool. I always wondered what allowed us to do such things naturally and "safely".

Might even explain deja vu to some extent....fascinating stuff....

a reply to: The Vagabond

That is a very good explanation for this type of cell. I was thinking what the heck is this for and you you came along with a perfectly good hypothesis.

reflex and instinctual actions seem like a good fit for this. No need to process the signal, it takes the express elevator to where it needs to go to minimize latency. Another use might be for particular memories that are frequently accessed. Straight through path = quicker & easier to "retrieve" the memory. It'd almost be like a caching/optimisation mechanism

the reciever for dark energy.....

Perhaps when people say they "spaced out" while driving and don't remember part(s) of their commute it's because these neurons having taken over. It keeps you from killing yourself but because it bypasses the cell body it's not processed in the way necessary to create a memory.

I actually read an article on Science daily in the last week that showed that many neurons have this ability that they did not know of before. Some information seems to be sent or transferred on the outer shell but most of what we have been looking at is through the inside. They are trying to determine how this bypass works and what determines what is transferred that way.

In a couple of years they will figure this out better, now that they know this exists it will be easier to investigate. I still think that some scientists, especially those who make a living making chemicals that may be banned if this is discovered to be true, will deny this is real.

Information is passed through our body on many different routes. Denying this is like saying the only way we can travel is to walk. The wheel is not possible nor is flight. Our bodies are more advanced than most people think they are. We are a technology that has taken billions of years to develop, we are not going to unlock all that in a couple hundred years. Just because some people think they know exactly how things work in our body does not mean that these are the only ways things happens. I would trust the opinion of these kind of people less than that of a natural farmer. Sadly there are a lot of these people out there in this world.

"Humans have the same general brain structure and types of hippocampus cells as mice. "

Yum cheese!

My thought was "copy-to-memory" - the signal passes in and out, but is observed by the cell body.

But I have *zero* experience in the subject, so it wouldn't surprise me to be wrong.

a reply to: lostbook


Router.

Thanks, I often wondered what a router looked like! I know what servers look like and the individual 'blades'.