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How inhibitory neurons organise across the brain after brain injury

14 July 2022

Neuron to Something

Neurons communicate by squirting neurotransmitters at each other – chemical signals that carry different messages. ‘Excitatory’ neurotransmitters encourage neighbouring neurons to respond – like nudging a friend during a Mexican wave – while inhibitory chemicals restore calm. A healthy balance shapes our thoughts and memories. In the cerebral cortex, neurons that produce the inhibitor somatostatin (SST) are vulnerable to injury. Early in this video a special stain highlights STT neurons triggered by surrounding cells in a healthy mouse brain, while far fewer STT neurons light up in an injured brain (from 20 seconds). Researchers believe injury alters how inhibitory neurons organise across the brain, impacting on vital memory circuits – and they’re looking for ways to restore these cells after traumatic brain injury or in Alzheimer’s disease.

Written by John Ankers

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BPoD stands for Biomedical Picture of the Day. Managed by the MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences until Jul 2023, it is now run independently by a dedicated team of scientists and writers. The website aims to engage everyone, young and old, in the wonders of biology, and its influence on medicine. The ever-growing archive of more than 4000 research images documents over a decade of progress. Explore the collection and see what you discover. Images are kindly provided for inclusion on this website through the generosity of scientists across the globe.

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