Scientists from the Universities of Geneva and Lausanne have found a way to grow new neurons in the brains of adult and aged mice.. Researchers have discovered the importance of cellular metabolism in this process and determined how to wake up these neural stem cells and reactivate them, Neuroscience News.

Using a new method, scientists were able to increase the number of neurons in the brains of elderly mice. In the future, the results of the study may help in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases..

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Stem cells have the unique ability to continually make copies of themselves and give rise to differentiated cells with more specialized functions.. Neural stem cells (NSCs) are responsible for building the brain during embryonic development by producing all the cells of the central nervous system, including neurons..

But scientists were surprised to learn that NSCs are found in some areas of the brain, even after it is fully formed, and can form new neurons throughout life.. This biological phenomenon, called adult neurogenesis, is important for certain functions such as learning and memory processes.. However, in the adult brain, these stem cells become " Because of this, neurogenesis declines with age..

“We found that mitochondria, which are energy-producing organelles inside cells, are involved in regulating the level of activation of adult NSCs,” said Francesco Petrelli, co-author of the study..

A special role in this regulation is played by the mitochondrial pyruvate transporter (MPT), a protein complex discovered 11 years ago. Its activity affects the metabolic options that a cell can use.. By knowing the metabolic pathways that distinguish active from dormant cells, scientists can wake up dormant cells by altering their mitochondrial metabolism..

Previously, scientists who are working on an experimental anti-aging therapy announced that they managed to set a record by extending the lifespan of a laboratory rat named Sima..