Neurons are genetically programmed to have long lives

(University of California - Riverside) Most neurons are created during embryonic development and have no " backup " after birth. Researchers have generally believed that their survival is determined nearly extrinsically, or by outside forces, such as the tissues and cells that neurons supply with nerve cells. A research team led by Sika Zheng, a biomedical scientist at the University of California, Riverside, has challenged this notion and reports the continuous survival of neurons is also intrinsically programmed during development.
Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health - Category: International Medicine & Public Health Source Type: news