How we keep growing brain cells in our 90s

HUMANS grow new brain cells all the way into their 90s, scientists believe.

The hippocampus, or memory centre of the brain, shrinks as we age, causing forgetfulness. But a study suggests this decline is not inevitable.

While some experts believe we stop growing memory brain cells after childhood, the study suggests the brain regenerates well into the twilight years.

Researchers found evidence of growing brain cells in the hippocampus of people aged 43 to 97.

Dr Maria Llorens-Martin, who led the study from the Molecular Biology Centre in Spain, said: ‘These results suggest that when people lose brain cells in old age, they might be able to generate new ones to replace them. That opens the possibility of generating new memories using new brain cells.

‘We know that exercise can increase new brain cells in rodents, so it may do the same in humans.’

One surprising finding from the study, published in the journal Nature Medicine, came from looking at the brains of 45 people aged 52 to 97 at various stages of Alzheimer’s disease when they died.

They had fewer growing brain cells, suggesting the dementia stops new brain cells from forming or surviving. This could lead to a new drug to reverse memory loss in people with dementia.