Understanding Neurogenesis
If scientists are to apply the methods of regenerative medicine to age-related degeneration in the brain, much more care and knowledge will be required than for, say, the heart - the consequences of various subtle problems and failures are so much more serious. Here, Scientific American takes a brief look at one step forward in relevant research: "brains continue to produce new neurons throughout life, helping create new neural networks. This neurogenesis only takes place in a few specific areas, such as the area in which the brain and spinal column meet. The new cells, however, can migrate throughout the brain and turn up as far away as the olfactory bulb - a cluster of nerve cells at the front surface of the brain responsible for the sense of smell. A recent study in mice has revealed that these neurons make the long and complicated journey by going with the flow of spinal fluid circulating in the brain."
Link: http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?chanID=sa003&articleID=000840DA-CFBD-13C6-8FBD83414B7F0000