Evidence for postnatal neurogenesis in the human amygdala
Research output: Contribution to journal › Research article › Contributed › peer-review
Contributors
Abstract
The human amygdala is involved in processing of memory, decision-making, and emotional responses. Previous studies suggested that the amygdala may represent a neurogenic niche in mammals. By combining two distinct methodological approaches, lipofuscin quantification and 14C-based retrospective birth dating of neurons, along with mathematical modelling, we here explored whether postnatal neurogenesis exists in the human amygdala. We investigated post-mortem samples of twelve neurologically healthy subjects. The average rate of lipofuscin-negative neurons was 3.4%, representing a substantial proportion of cells substantially younger than the individual. Mass spectrometry analysis of genomic 14C-concentrations in amygdala neurons compared with atmospheric 14C-levels provided evidence for postnatal neuronal exchange. Mathematical modelling identified a best-fitting scenario comprising of a quiescent and a renewing neuronal population with an overall renewal rate of >2.7% per year. In conclusion, we provide evidence for postnatal neurogenesis in the human amygdala with cell turnover rates comparable to the hippocampus.
Details
Original language | English |
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Article number | 366 |
Number of pages | 8 |
Journal | Communications biology |
Volume | 5 |
Publication status | Published - 19 Apr 2022 |
Peer-reviewed | Yes |
External IDs
PubMedCentral | PMC9018740 |
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Scopus | 85128378294 |
ORCID | /0000-0003-1065-4107/work/141543981 |
ORCID | /0000-0001-6466-2589/work/142238094 |
ORCID | /0000-0003-0137-5106/work/142244262 |
Keywords
Sustainable Development Goals
Keywords
- Amygdala/physiology, Animals, Hippocampus/physiology, Humans, Lipofuscin, Mammals, Neurogenesis/physiology, Retrospective Studies