Stem cells that drive creativity?
Scientists claim to have discovered a new type of stem cell responsible for creative thinking and memories in humans.
Researchers at The Scripps Research Institute identified a stem cell population that may give birth to neurons which play a key role in abstract thought and creativity.
The finding also paves the way for production of these neurons in culture, a first step towards developing better treatments for cognitive disorders like schizophrenia and autism. The cells were found in embryonic mice, where they formed the upper layers of the brain’s cerebral cortex.
In humans, the brain region allows abstract thinking, planning for the future and solving problems. Previously it was thought that all cortical neurons arose from the same stem cells — radial glial cells (RGCs).
The new research shows that the upper layer neurons develop from a distinct population of diverse stem cells
“Advanced functions like consciousness, thought and creativity require quite a lot of different neuronal cell types and a central question has been how all this diversity is produced in the cortex,” Dr Santos Franco, member of the team from the research institute said.
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