How Neurons Are Able to Keep Up the Chatter

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http://neurosciencenews.com/how-neurons-are-able-to-keep-up-the-chatter/

A group of researchers at Harvard have recently provided new information on neurotransmission. The researchers conducted a study in which they genetically altered the brain cells in mice to lack two key proteins; the lack of these proteins dismantled the entire docking station. The researchers hypothesized that the elimination of even one, and especially both, of the proteins would cause the signal transmission to stop completely altogether. However, they were wrong. When removing either one or both of the proteins, the cells were still able to communicate. This baffled the researchers because they never expected neurons to have the ability to still communicate, even when missing what was thought to be so crucial in the transmission. These findings show the complex abilities and resilience in the nervous system.

This article relates to almost everything we have learned that has had anything to do with neurons. This is surprising and incredibly interesting to me because it changes what we have known neurons to be and how they communicate.



Comments

  1. Erin KisselNovember 27, 2016 at 3:32 PM

    I find this article very interesting and agree with your point that it does go against everything that we thought we knew about neurons and their ability to communicate. The first thing that came to my head when reading this is how this could impact different disorders and diseases in the next few years. Many diseases such as Epilepsy, Alzheimer's and Huntington's disease all have to do with neuronal communication. It will be interesting if this research will ever be focused towards these diseases and if there is a way to lesson the impact on the body. I would also be curious to look at how the neurons are actually communicating if it is not through the proteins. Thanks for sharing! Great article

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