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.
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