On Fri, May 16, 2014 at 12:10:20PM +1200, LizR wrote: > > I don't think we replace our brain cells, but even if we do, isn't the fact > > that they are replaced and the replacements are functionally similar > > important to who we are? > > > > We do, apparently. > http://www.theguardian.com/science/neurophilosophy/2012/feb/23/brain-new-cells-adult-neurogenesis > > (I know I could do with some new ones ... or do I mean "neurones" ?) >
I think that is more about brain repair, than material replacement in cells, and only involves a few percent of neurons. It turns out the carbon atoms in the DNA of neural cells is remarkable long lived, as chronicled via the radiation spike due to atmospheric nuclear weapons testing in 50s & 60s. I don't have a cite on hand, but the result is that your neuronal DNA is on average about two years younger than your own age. For most other cell types, the average age is around 7 years, or something like that. The conclusion is that the body does not materially recycle neurons, as presumably to do so loses important learnt information. The other interesting conclusion is that our brains are dramatically rewired when we're about 2. We're not the same people as when we're infants. Cheers -- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Prof Russell Standish Phone 0425 253119 (mobile) Principal, High Performance Coders Visiting Professor of Mathematics [email protected] University of New South Wales http://www.hpcoders.com.au Latest project: The Amoeba's Secret (http://www.hpcoders.com.au/AmoebasSecret.html) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Everything List" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/everything-list. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
