Dopamine controls formation of new brain cells, salamander study shows
Friday, April 8, 2011 - 10:31
in Biology & Nature
A study of the salamander brain has led researchers to discover a hitherto unknown function of the neurotransmitter dopamine. In a new study, they show how in acting as a kind of switch for stem cells, dopamine controls the formation of new neurons in the adult brain. Their findings may one day contribute to new treatments for neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson's.