The brain is very complex and scientists often talk about how it works. A new study from Johns Hopkins University has made some scientists rethink how they see neurons.
Neurons are the basic cells in the brain. The study says that axons, which are parts of neurons, are not smooth like a tube, but look more like a string of pearls. This could change how we understand how messages travel in the brain.
Shigeki Watanabe, a scientist in the study, says, “Axons help our brain connect parts together. This new idea challenges what we have thought for a long time.”
Some scientists disagree. They think the “pearls” are just a reaction to stress in the neurons. Watanabe and his team are now looking at human brain cells to find out more.
The study was published in Nature Neuroscience.
Vocabulary List:
- Complex /kəmˈplɛks/ (adjective): Consisting of many different and connected parts.
- Neurons /ˈnjʊə.rɒnz/ (noun): Basic cells in the brain that transmit information.
- Axons /ˈæk.sɒn/ (noun): Long projections of neurons that conduct electrical impulses away from the cell body.
- Study /ˈstʌdi/ (noun): A detailed examination and analysis of a subject or phenomenon.
- Challenges /ˈtʃæl.ɪn.dʒɪz/ (verb): To question the truth or validity of something.
- Connect /kəˈnɛkt/ (verb): To join or link together.
How much do you know?
What are neurons?
According to the study, what do axons look like?
Who is the scientist mentioned in the study?
What do some scientists think the "pearls" in axons are a reaction to?
What is the purpose of axons according to Watanabe?
Where was the study published?
Axons are smooth tubes in the brain.
The study challenges long-held beliefs about neurons.
Shigeki Watanabe is not involved in the study.
The "pearls" in axons are confirmed to be stress indicators.
The study focuses on human brain cells exclusively.
Neurons play a crucial role in brain function.
According to the study, axons are not smooth like a tube, but look more like a string of .
Shigeki Watanabe and his team are looking at human brain cells to find out more about the structure of .
The study challenges the traditional understanding of how messages travel in the .
Some scientists believe the "pearls" in axons are a reaction to in the neurons.
Axons help our brain connect different together.
The new idea presented in the study challenges what has been thought for a long time about brain .