Myth and truth about the restoration of nerve cells (4 photos). Are brain cells (neurons) restored? Are nerve cells restored in pregnant women?

Brain cells are in a constant state of movement and development. Neural connections are formed until a person’s death. There is a common belief in the minds of the average person that nerve cells are not restored. Is it a myth or reality? To answer, it's worth thinking about one simple question.

The human brain contains approximately 90 billion neurons. Many negative factors of the external and internal environment: be it alcohol, unhealthy diet, stress, hormonal imbalances, etc., destroy nerve cells. Moreover, this process is constant. We are not talking about just one, but about hundreds and sometimes even thousands of neurons that a person loses per day. Perhaps not every day, but with enviable consistency.

Question: what would happen to the human brain and to its “carrier” itself if the statement “nerve cells do not recover” turned out to be true? The answer is obvious.

Recent research has shed some light. To put it briefly and clearly, the body is capable of synthesizing new neurons itself, which replace the old ones. The main participant in this process is the hippocampus. Part of one of the oldest parts of the brain, the limbic system. It synthesizes about 700 new structures per day. And so throughout life.

The statement that nerve cells do not regenerate is just a myth. But there is some common sense here. There are factors that actually inhibit the synthesis of new fibers.

What causes slow down the production of new nerve cells?

The process of synthesizing new neurons and restoring the structure of the brain is called neurogenesis. Normally, the hippocampus “supplies” about 700 such cytological structures per day. But this is an average. It decreases significantly if a person leads an unhealthy lifestyle. Some factors slow down the process of cerebral tissue renewal.

No intellectual load

This is not so much about a formal tension of mental forces, but about a new point of their application. Regular crossword puzzles and popular Japanese Sudoku puzzles are suitable for training. Logic puzzles and exercises, special programs and educational games. If a person does not receive enough intellectual load, there is a high probability of gradual degradation. For the same reasons, patients with a low degree of mental activity are at greater risk of encountering.

Same lifestyle

Generalized characteristics. In fact, it may be a static or toxic environment, monotonous work, stereotypical activity. Office workers and people engaged in routine work are most susceptible to this. Changes in environment are needed to renew cerebral structures. Even minimal, banal things are enough: going to work by a different route, changing the traditional daily routine, etc.

Excessive nutrition

Science does not yet know enough about the negative role of nutrition regarding the restoration of nerve cells. According to some estimates, exceeding the caloric intake of food by 20% per day almost halves the rate of synthesis of new neurons. It is still impossible to say how true this statement is and whether it applies to all people without exception.

It is clear, however, that insufficient intake of vitamins and an incorrect diet with excess salt and animal fat have a negative effect on neurogenesis.

Chronic stress

Prolonged psycho-emotional stress does not improve health. During stress, the adrenal glands produce a large amount of hormones: cortisol, adrenaline, etc. They inhibit the synthesis of neurons, slowing down the process.

Alcohol

Alcohol is a clear enemy of healthy cerebral structures. Ethanol and its breakdown products accumulate in brain tissue. Previously, there was an opinion that alcohol directly destroys fibers. This is not entirely true. Cytological structures do not disappear anywhere, formally the amount of substance remains at the same level. However, the processes of the neurons are destroyed, which means the signal no longer passes through them. From then on, they are excluded from normal activities and gradually die. The process is truly destructive, but it is extended over time. With systematic alcohol consumption, disorders become more and more noticeable. The rate of neurogenesis drops by 50-70%, according to various estimates.

Use of certain drugs

Some drugs damage the brain. The use of psychotropic medications has a particularly negative effect on the condition of nerve cells. Recovering from them is not an easy task in itself. Tissues die as a result of blocking the transmission of nerve impulses. Special neurotransmitters are responsible for this process: dopamine and others. Such a harmful effect of neuroleptics and antidepressants is noticeable over the years. On MRI images of patients with a history, the size of the cerebral hemispheres is significantly smaller than in healthy people.

Lack of sleep

The body's biological clock is designed in such a way that closer to night the synthesis of cortisol weakens and melatonin is more actively produced. It is capable of inhibiting many biochemical processes, and therefore the metabolism in cerebral structures slows down. Toxins, which under normal conditions are quickly eliminated, are retained in tissues, poison them and provoke the death of cytological structures. With systematically incorrect sleep patterns, the process becomes more and more aggressive.

If we take these reasons to the absolute level - constantly drinking, forgetting about intellectual development, indeed - the nerve cells are not restored or the speed of this process is negligible. In other cases, neurogenesis slows down, but does not stop completely.

Typical structure of a neuron

Does the opposite phenomenon occur when the intensity of neurogenesis increases? Yes, this is also possible.

What factors help restore nerve cells?

There are several ways to promote the natural recovery of nerve cells.

Rich emotional life

As a measure to prevent monotony. There is no need to work specifically in this direction. It is enough to maintain stable social connections, establish new contacts, communicate with people, change your way of activity from time to time, fully relax and not stay in one place. Positive emotions contribute to the production of neurotransmitters, substances that enhance neurogenesis.

Proper nutrition

By proper nutrition we mean a fortified diet. At a minimum, you need to adhere to a number of simple rules:

1. Limit salt intake to 4-6 grams per day. More is not necessary, since sodium ions cause narrowing of the arteries. Blood circulates worse, brain structures do not receive enough nutrients and oxygen. Consequently, they begin to work more slowly. Salt cannot be completely eliminated either. Without sodium, the electrolyte balance will quickly be disrupted. This is fraught with dangerous heart complications.
2. The diet should have enough vitamins. Their main source is fruits and vegetables. The share of plant foods should be about 50-60%. Plus or minus. It is best to discuss this issue with a nutrition specialist.
3. Animal fat should not be excluded from the diet. But on the menu it is given second place at best. Many essential amino acids can only be obtained from animal products. But preference should be given to dietary meats (chicken, turkey), fish and seafood.
4. Semi-finished products and canned food are completely eliminated from the menu. They contain huge doses of salt and a huge amount of chemical additives. Such products do not carry any useful load and provide nothing to the body.
5. A large role is also played by the drinking regime. Water is a universal solvent that accelerates metabolic processes. Normally, you need to consume about 2 liters per day, not counting liquid foods. If a person has kidney problems or hypertension, the amount of fluid is limited. The same is true if a woman is undergoing gestation. During pregnancy, the amount of fluid is calculated individually.

Regular intellectual exercise

Mental work helps restore brain neurons. There are many types of activities: crosswords, puzzles, reading books, analytical work, problem solving. A good help is studying the exact sciences: mathematics, physics. Also formal logic. It is necessary to constantly develop thinking: , (rational). Do special exercises. Living by these rules prevents two problems at once: on the one hand, it does not allow the brain to slowly die, on the other, it solves the issue of preventing dementia and Alzheimer's disease. In men, such pathologies are less common. But you still shouldn’t relax.

Healthy sleep in comfortable conditions is also an indispensable condition for the renewal of nerve structures.

There is no need to strive for world records. Scientists have proven that after an hour of training with moderate loads, the brain begins to work more actively. People who adhere to an active regime of physical activity are more capable of learning. Provided that these are feasible loads, and not grueling workouts for the sake of results or aesthetic goals.

In order to help your own body, just walking, cycling, skiing, or jogging in the morning is enough. It is important that physical activity is not too difficult. When exhausted, the reverse processes begin. Cortisol, adrenaline, and norepinephrine are produced. Moreover, in the same or greater quantities as during stress. Substances of the adrenal cortex block the functioning of the hippocampus.

Play activity

We are talking about any games: from old board games like checkers, chess to video games. In a seemingly simple way, the player looks for new ways to solve problems and finds himself in situations that require him to have a new way of thinking. Game techniques are much more effective than special exercises. Because the student spends much less energy on games, plays with great pleasure and is ready to devote a lot of time to the lesson.

In pursuit of neurogenesis, you need to observe moderation. Overwork triggers the opposite, harmful phenomena.

Why do you need to restore nerve cells at all?

There are many cases in medical history when a patient, by chance, lived without part of the brain, while working quite productively and even achieving success. Does this mean that the number of neurons does not matter? Not certainly in that way.

In all such cases, the patients either were in this state from birth or underwent a long and difficult rehabilitation course. Without brain renewal, intellectual activity, and not only that, becomes problematic. If you systematically follow lifestyle recommendations, you can achieve constant stable brain function and productive activity:

• new neural connections are formed constantly and without problems;
• learning ability increases;
• The speed of thinking also increases.

These are not idle and abstract practices. The task is quite specific - to create conditions for the brain to function at its maximum potential.

Restoring nerve cells: what to do to renew the brain

Summing up the interim results, we can give the following recommendations.

Avoid stress

How long does it take for nerve cells to recover and return to normal? The body needs at least a few days to do this. It is impossible to completely avoid stress, especially in modern conditions. Relaxation techniques come to the rescue: rhythmic breathing, visualization, counting to 10, etc. If desired, this question can be clarified with a psychotherapist.

Give up alcohol

Alcohol has a detrimental effect on cerebral structures. But what if a person has been drinking for some time, is it possible to restore nerve cells after drinking alcohol? Yes, you can. It will just take more time: part of it will be spent on returning to the position before the heavy “libations”, the rest will be spent on the actual development and renewal of tissues.

Consider adjusting your diet

Do nerve structures recover with proper nutrition? They are restored, this is the main goal of correcting your own eating habits.

Systematically engage in intellectual training

It is important to find a middle ground here. Excessive fatigue only causes harm. It is enough to develop a clear schedule of classes. It is advisable to practice in the first half of the day, when the body is still ready to perceive and analyze new information. Is it true that the heavier the load, the better? No, this will just lead to the opposite effect. You need to dose it correctly.

Get enough sleep

You need to sleep in a dark room, with the TV turned off and no network transmissions. Sleep duration is about 8-9 hours. More is possible, but not much. This is already an individual question. Half of your sleep should occur before 11 p.m. During this period, the body rests best.

Stop smoking too

How long does it take for brain neurons to recover if you eliminate cigarettes from everyday life? According to various estimates, 1.5-2 times faster. It is not so much nicotine that is dangerous as other chemical products: arsenic, cadmium, methane. They have the properties of neurotoxins. They not only slow down the recovery of nerve cells, but also destroy them themselves.

How fast does the recovery process proceed if a person follows all the recommendations? The question is individual. But a disciplined advocate of a healthy lifestyle will definitely get his “700 neurons”. There is another method to quickly return cerebral structures to normal. But it is dangerous and not suitable for everyone. We are talking about pharmacological assistance.

Is it possible to restore nerve cells with the help of drugs?

Medicines can be a good help for correcting the condition of cerebral structures. Is it always? No, not always. There needs to be a compelling reason to use drugs.

Indications (there are quite a few):

• hypertonic disease;
• symptomatic hypertension;
• encephalopathy of various types;
• previous stroke and acute emergency condition;
• various anomalies of the vascular structures of the brain;
• mental disorders;
• diseases of the vertebral arteries.

And some others. Against the background of pathologies of the cardiovascular and nervous systems, the recovery of nerve cells is slow. In some cases, so much so that natural renewal is not noticeable. This process has objective manifestations: thinking, mood swings, etc.

To spur the natural process, two groups of funds are used:

1. Nootropics are drugs that accelerate metabolic phenomena in nerve fibers: Glycine, Phenibut and the like. Increases the efficiency of energy metabolism. Simply put, the same amount of nutrients and oxygen is supplied, but they are spent more efficiently.
2. Cerebrovascular drugs - restore cerebral blood flow, reduce tissue oxygen demand: Piracetam, Actovegin.

Taking them uncontrollably is strictly prohibited. Is it dangerous. When there are suspicions, you need to go to a doctor: a neurologist, a cardiologist.

Vitamin and mineral complexes are used as more “peaceful” remedies. But even here you need to know when to stop. An excess of nutrients is just as dangerous as a deficiency, no matter how paradoxical it may sound.

The first day of Lent is approaching. Fasting occurs in almost all religions and cultures. Temporary abstinence from food is credited with great healing power. Some believe that in this way you can even extend your life. But doctors are still arguing about the benefits of fasting, and for some, fasting is even dangerous.

Nowadays, certain fasting options are becoming more and more popular. Most often this has little to do with God, religion and spiritual self-flagellation. Refusal to eat should rather help lose weight, fight all kinds of diseases or prevent them. Fasting is designed to make people generally healthier, in good shape, and possibly prolong their lives. But what is really known about the healing power of fasting?

What was the point of fasting in the old days?

Even in Ancient Egypt, certain forms of fasting were in use, for example, refusing to eat fish during spawning in the Nile. The Christian fast, when for religious reasons you cannot eat meat 40 days before Easter, according to anthropologists, was aimed at preserving livestock. At the end of winter, other food was often eaten, and the livestock was a reserve of calories. And he had to be protected.

For example, at this time sows gave birth. This was a guarantee of protein food for a whole year if the peasant kept the piglets alive and fed them.

Yet these pragmatic reasons were certainly not the only ones. Almost every religion and every region of the world has some form of fasting.

At the very least, it can be assumed that fasting was a kind of measure to protect health, because people have been accumulating knowledge about the beneficial effects of fasting for centuries and millennia.

Does “fasting” exist in nature?

Many animal species regularly or periodically experience more or less prolonged periods of fasting. Predators, for example, do not always manage to catch prey when they are hungry.

And herbivores may have problems with nutrition, for example, during droughts.

Animals that hibernate in winter have very long periods of fasting; this is genetically programmed into their behavioral pattern and metabolism.

Periods of excess and shortage of food followed each other in the lives of our ancestors. Those who survived malnutrition better than others survived, and those who managed to get food, including from reserves. They were the ones who reproduced and passed on their genes.

It is thanks to this evolutionary heritage that we humans are probably generally able to voluntarily and without harm to health today refuse food for long periods of time.

Modern adherents of fasting describe how positive they are on days without food, how clear and clear their thoughts are, how physically active they are. This also makes evolutionary sense. It is during periods of fasting that the moment comes when one must be best prepared to obtain food.

That is, when Silicon Valley star and Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey talks about his high feelings and clear thoughts on zero-calorie days, from a purely biochemical point of view, he turns into a hungry, ready-for-anything hunter in the vast savannah of our ancestors.

How to explain the current fasting renaissance?

The reasons why more and more people are interested in fasting are varied. A widespread excess of food, as well as the search for spiritual fulfillment in life, including without a specific religious doctrine, can play a role in the refusal of food - at least in countries where no one has to starve against their will.

Many people view fasting simply as a relatively straightforward opportunity to lose weight by cutting out calories. Perhaps the numerous reports that temporarily abstaining from food improves health and may even prolong life are becoming a determining factor.

What happens in the body during fasting?

After long hours without food, the body reconfigures its metabolism. It no longer uses glucose from carbohydrates, but converts fats in the liver into so-called ketones. They can supply energy to almost all cells of the body. Additionally, molecules are released to protect cells, because lack of nutrition is stress.

An important factor is the lack of insulin production, since sugar does not enter the blood through the intestines. In this state, the body can better destroy and recycle damaged cells. In addition, the genetic material is restored. These protective responses, also known as hormesis, are considered by many researchers to be the real reason for the positive health effects of fasting.

What types of fasting are there?

To the classic refusal of meat, which has gained a new dimension due to the spread of veganism and the climate protection movement, a number of other variations can be added. For example, multi-day or week-long fasting courses with virtually no calorie intake. Such courses are conducted by specialized organizations, and they are usually accompanied by other procedures, for example, taking laxatives and cleansing the liver, as well as physical exercise.

But for this you need to completely drop out of everyday life.

Religious variants of fasting among Muslims include daytime abstinence from food and water during Ramadan. Here we are talking, in fact, about the very popular so-called intermittent fasting - regularly alternating longer periods of time without food and periods when food is allowed.

Why is intermittent fasting so popular now?

There are a variety of intermittent fasting options. Week 5:2 means that for five days a person eats as usual, and for two days he very much limits himself in food. Another option is to completely avoid eating one or more times a week. Thus, the fasting phases last approximately 36 hours, because an evening without dinner is followed by a night.

With the 16:8 fasting system, the daily eating window is limited to six to eight hours. Such programs are popular partly because, unlike multi-day programs, they fit relatively easily into the regular daily routine.

Metabolism is best retuned when the last phase of fasting has ended not so long ago, and the body still has the necessary enzymes and activated genes.

The fact that intermittent fasting is promoted by many stars also plays a role. In recent years, positive assessments by scientists have also appeared. In a recently published study in the renowned New England Journal of Medicine, the authors conclude that intermittent fasting has a number of health benefits and may even prolong life.

What is the scientific evidence for the health benefits?

Treat minor pain with fasting, not with medications - Hippocrates spoke about this. Meanwhile, some doctors and epidemiologists attribute much greater potential to fasting, believing that it can prevent or help manage all serious diseases.

In fact, there are a number of animal studies that show that during intermittent fasting, experimental subjects get sick less than their relatives who eat as usual. Even tumors grow less actively or do not grow at all.

But experimental animals are not people. However, scientific evidence based on human studies shows that overweight people lose weight when intermittent fasting. In addition, positive mental changes occur, and many blood parameters change for the better, including insulin, blood lipids, cholesterol and some substances that regulate inflammation. And some studies even show improved memory in older people.

What is the evidence for anti-aging and life-extending effects?

There has long been debate about whether constant food restriction is good for health and whether it prolongs life. For worms and mice this is an indisputable fact.

As for humans, impressive anecdotal evidence has emerged over the centuries. For example, we can cite the records of a man named Luigi Cornaro, who lived in the 15th and 16th centuries in Padua. When he was 35 years old, doctors told him he did not have long to live. After this, Cornaro began to adhere to a strict diet. He lived to be 100 or 102 years old and had virtually no complaints about his health.

This beautiful story becomes even more beautiful if you know that back then three glasses of red wine were allowed daily. But neither in Cornaro's time nor today are there any human studies that offer verifiable conclusions.

Much of what people know about fasting fits well with the arguments of those who consider it a source of eternal youth. Fasting triggers processes during which toxins are removed from the body and damaged genes are restored. Molecules appear that neutralize free radicals. Growth factors arise, which, in particular, ensure the growth of brain cells and strengthen the connections between them. There are many other good things going on.

But will all this help to become the second Cornaro - or did Cornaro live in good health for more than 100 years only thanks to good genes? Nobody knows this. Because related research would be extremely costly and time consuming while things remain as they are. Otherwise, it would be necessary to observe the health of a great many study participants over many years - from youth until death as late as possible - and record in great detail what and how they eat, as well as take into account a host of other factors that may also to play an important role.

Are there other benefits?

Sociologists and psychologists see the positive aspect of fasting primarily in the fact that a conscious approach to one’s own body is developed. It is also associated with problems such as gluttony and hunger in the modern world. There's no doubt that skipping entire meals and preparing them can save time—unless you still have to cook for children and other family members.

What do the critics say?

For many years, doctors who received traditional medical training considered abstinence from food to be fundamentally harmful. The arguments in favor of fasting were not too numerous and primarily boiled down to the following: those who do not eat for more than a couple of hours develop a so-called catabolic metabolism. This means that body volume is reduced, not only fat, but also protein from muscles.

Prolonged catabolic metabolism leads to death and is typical of some serious diseases, particularly advanced cancer. In the short term, there is also a release of toxins and a general weakening of the body. The mentioned research results and data on metabolism and biochemistry forced many doctors to change their minds.

At the moment, the main criticism is that a significant number of studies are devoted only to weight, blood sugar and fat levels and some other indicators. Heidelberg diabetes specialist Peter Paul Nawroth calls these numbers “surrogate parameters” because they say nothing about whether people who fast regularly do better than those who don’t fast. , and whether they really get sick less and suffer less from heart attacks, complications of diabetes and dementia.

There is simply no data on this, according to Navrot. Nutritionists are also inclined to believe that many questions still remain open. To this we can add that most studies related to various fasting options lasted only a few months. Therefore, long-term information regarding the above-mentioned “surrogate parameters” is lacking.

From a purely practical point of view, the results of the studies also only indicate that it is very difficult to conduct long-term observations of the nutrition of the subjects.

However, one of the latest studies has confirmed that intermittent fasting is at least as beneficial as the so-called Mediterranean diet, which involves consuming large amounts of vegetables, vegetable fats and fish.

Who should avoid fasting?

Among practically healthy people, no negative consequences of intermittent fasting were identified. One of the most controversial fasting options is the “Breuss diet,” which is recommended by some adherents of the so-called alternative cancer therapy. It lasts 42 days and does not involve eating solid food. In this case, the patient eats a small amount of vegetables every day, as a result of which, in theory, the cancerous tumor “dies of starvation.” This often happens - at least they say that the tumors actually decrease in size.

At the same time, however, the rest of the patient's body tissues also decrease in size, and the immune system also weakens. And when nutrition is resumed, the growth of cancerous tumors begins again, which weakened patients are no longer able to resist.

True, diabetics, according to research results, have significantly improved blood test results. However, they are the ones who need the most careful medical supervision due to possible complications.

It is fundamentally harmful for children to go hungry because they are in the process of growth and have limited reserves.

Culturally wrapped practices of fasting seem to support these findings. For example, children under puberty do not need to fast during Ramadan. Only overly religious parents force their children to fast.

Fasting is strictly contraindicated for pregnant women. If they nevertheless decide to take this step, they risk a child who may be born premature and with congenital defects. Doctors also advise people with eating disorders to avoid fasting due to the increased risks associated with it.

Incredible facts

The adult brain contains about 86 billion nerve cells (or neurons). Throughout our lives, for various reasons, we gradually lose neurons (scientists say that the process of death of nerve cells starts at the age of 20–25, while after 40 it gains quite high momentum).

Why are new neurons needed?

It is neurons that are extremely important for learning, thought processes, the volume and quality of memory, mood and positive emotions.

By generating nerve cells on your own, you can not only prolong youth, but also prevent the severe consequences of neurodegenerative diseases: Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's, Huntington's, multiple sclerosis, in which the nervous system is affected and cognitive and behavioral abnormalities develop.

New neurons are also necessary for healthy people, who by stimulating neurogenesis can significantly improve the condition of their body, master a larger amount of information and prevent memory problems in old age!

Is it possible to grow neurons?

For many years, neuroscientists gave a negative answer to this question: nerve cells do not recover.

But recent research suggests that new neurons are being formed in the adult brain (in the hippocampus, to be precise). This phenomenon is called neurogenesis.

Thus, Swedish researcher and neurologist Jonas Friesen from the Karolinska Institute calculated that about 700 new neurons are produced every day in the hippocampus (the gray mass in the center of the brain responsible for memory, emotions and learning).

Simple math: 700*365=255,500 neurons per year. Not enough, isn't it? Especially compared to 86 billion!

But that's not all! Neuroscientist Sandrine Thuret claims that over the course of 50 years of life, all the nerve cells we have at birth are replaced by neurons formed in the adult brain.

And again let's resort to mathematical calculations:

1. 50*365=18,250 (days).
2. 18,250*700=12,775,000 (neurons).

Question:where did the 86 billion neurons go?

Despite the controversial theories regarding the quantitative formation of new neurons in the hippocampus, we cannot exclude the fact that the creation of each new nerve cell is extremely important, since the cessation of neurogenesis leads to depression of a person’s psychological state, and this is fraught with depression and even psychosis.

In addition, additional neurons, regardless of their number, strengthen connections between nerve cells, thereby increasing the brain’s ability not only to process, but also to store information.

It is also interesting that even a damaged brain can produce neurons, and in an enhanced mode. This conclusion was reached by scientists from the University of Auckland, New Zealand, who studied people with Huntington's disease, which is characterized by decreased mental abilities and impaired coordination of movements.

The study revealed that the generation of new neurons occurred most intensively in the most affected tissues. Unfortunately, the number of new nerve cells formed is not enough to stop or cure the disease.

BUT! Knowing the conditions and factors that control neurogenesis and stimulate this process, scientists expect to find methods to help restore a diseased or damaged brain!

• Read also: Our brain is dying: these 10 tips will guarantee its long life

How to grow neurons at home?

Neuroscientists from around the world are actively researching neurons derived from human embryonic stem cells.

However, neuroscientist Sandrine Thuret says that we ourselves can contribute to the generation of new neurons and the self-healing of the nervous system.

Factors promoting neurogenesis

1. Training

• Read daily, as reading involves all types of mental activity. When reading a book, we think, look for cause-and-effect relationships, and use our imagination.
• Learn foreign languages: it has been proven that polyglots are much less likely to suffer from senile dementia, and with Alzheimer's disease they develop symptoms 5 years later.
• Learn to play a musical instrument: motor skills are closely related to the functioning of the brain, it stimulates its activity and increases neurogenesis.
• Travel and meet new people, discover new facets and opportunities.
• Master mnemonics, which is a set of techniques that make it easier to remember fairly large amounts of information. This brain training will enhance neurogenesis.

2. Running

In research conducted by Sandrine Thuret, it was revealed that in the hippocampus of a mouse whose cage was missing a wheel, much fewer new neurons were formed compared to a mouse whose cage was equipped with such a running device.

It can also be said that moderate physical activity in general also promotes neurogenesis, since during exercise, the level of cortisol (stress hormone) decreases and testosterone levels increase.

3. Sexual activity

The results of experiments conducted on rats showed that male pheromones activated the female reward system, as a result of which neurogenesis was also activated. However, such an effect cannot be confirmed experimentally in humans, so it is not possible to speak with 100% certainty about such a relationship.

In addition, sex reduces stress levels (the latter, in turn, reduces the formation of new neurons). Not to mention the fact that during sexual intercourse the level of serotonin and oxytocin, neurotransmitters that stimulate neurogenesis, increases.

4. Food

To stimulate neurogenesis, follow these rules:

• Increase the time between meals.
• Enrich your diet with foods containing flavonoids, including blueberries, dark chocolate, onions, garlic, spinach, citrus fruits, strawberries, and walnuts.
• Regularly eat fish containing Omega-3 fatty acids: salmon, halibut, sardines, fatty herring, mackerel, tuna.
• Pay attention to the texture of the food you eat: Japanese scientists have proven that soft food slows down neurogenesis, while hard food that requires careful chewing, on the contrary, activates it.

5. Sun

Fifteen minutes of daily sunbathing is enough to provide the body with the required amount of vitamin D, which affects the production of serotonin, which has a positive effect on the formation of new neurons.

• Read also: 10 little tricks that will help you become smarter

Factors that slow down neurogenesis

1. Age

With age, for physiological reasons, the rate of neurogenesis slows down.

2. Polluted air

The brain needs oxygen to function properly. If we inhale exhaust fumes and industrial dust for a long time, the brain experiences oxygen starvation, and changes occur in it that prevent neurogenesis.

3. Alcohol

Ethanol damages brain cells, thereby causing disturbances in brain function and weakening the process of formation of new nerve cells.

But the good news is that drinking red wine, which contains resveratrol, has been shown to help new neurons survive. Therefore, during feasts, give preference to good red wine, while remembering a sense of proportion.

4. Smoking and drugs

Science does not stand still. New facts about the world around us are constantly being discovered. However, studies of the human body are no less interesting. One of the well-known statements is that scientists say that nerve cells do not recover. This hypothesis has been generally accepted for a long time. However, many experiments carried out and the use of advanced equipment made it possible to refute the well-known statement. Whether or not nerve cells are restored will be discussed in detail below.

What are nerve cells?

For many years, scientists have warned people not to get nervous. This is harmful and, most importantly, irreversibly affects the functioning of brain neurons. So, nerve cells do not recover - myth or reality? To understand this issue, we should consider the features of this system of the human body. Nerve cells are neurons. They make up the nervous system. There are about 10 billion of them in our body. And they are all interconnected.

Even today, the nervous system is one of the most complex and poorly understood parts of the body. To date, scientists have been able to study only 5% of neurons. These cells are covered on the outside with a myelin sheath. This is a special protein that can be regenerated throughout a person’s life. It was he who caused the discussion “Nerve cells do not recover - myth or reality?” Research conducted by scientists has confirmed that this substance is undeniably capable of recovery.

Today we can say with confidence: the statement that nerve cells do not recover is a myth.

Interaction between nerve cells occurs through a network of nerves. They transmit information about the external and internal conditions of the body. The system performs several complex functions.

Features of the nervous system

For many years, scientists have been trying to get an answer to the question of why nerve cells do not recover. Therefore, work in this direction was carried out constantly. Over time, it became clear that the hypothesis was wrong. Nerve cells perform a number of important functions. The main ones are the following:

• An association. All organs and systems of the human body function as a single whole. This relationship is ensured by the correct functioning of the nervous system.
• Processing information. It comes through external and internal receptors.
• Transfer of information. After data processing, it is transferred to the appropriate cells, organs and tissues.
• Development. As environmental conditions become more complex, the nervous system also improves and becomes more complex.

Such a complex mechanism cannot but regenerate. Therefore, the answer to the question of whether nerve cells are restored in humans was found in 1998. Data from the study of E. Gouldy and C. Gross became a new stage in the development of medicine and psychology. They were published in 1999.

The experiments were carried out on mature monkeys. It has been proven that the primate brain produces new neurons every day. This process continues continuously until death. In 2014, it was accepted that the human brain develops not only in childhood and adolescence, but throughout life. The main factor in development is emotions.

How is the recovery going?

When considering the question of whether nerve cells are restored, it is worth noting that this process occurs at different speeds under the influence of different factors. Firstly, this is influenced by age, and secondly, a person’s lifestyle and his environment. Neurons recover, but for quite a long time.

The regeneration process can be accelerated under certain conditions. Intellectual work influences this. What nerve cells are restored? Regeneration processes occur only in those parts of the brain that are associated with new activities and the work of thought. According to the World Congress of Psychiatrists, which took place in 2014, the process of neuronal regeneration can be accelerated in the following situations:

• solving complex problems (not necessarily mathematical);
• an extreme situation from which a person seeks to find a way out;
• planning, which requires taking into account many initial data;
• when using memory, especially short-term;
• when solving issues of spatial orientation.

It is in these cases that a person begins to think intensely. He needs to find a way out of the situation and make a difficult decision. At this moment, the body’s forces are aimed at creating new neural networks. This stimulates brain function, causing nerve cells to regenerate faster.

With age, the regeneration process may slow down. However, even in extreme old age this process does not stop completely.

Negative factors in the regeneration process

Everyone knows the expression: “Don’t be nervous! Nerve cells are not restored!” The first part of this statement is completely correct. The fact is that the regeneration process can be either accelerated or slowed down. Stress is one of the main factors due to which the process of nerve cell recovery proceeds more slowly. Under its influence, neurons die. This has a destructive effect on the brain, as well as the entire human body. If neurons die faster than new ones appear, this will lead to the development of a number of pathologies of the nervous system. Therefore, the scientists who advised not to be nervous were completely right.

In addition to stress, insomnia, radiation, chronic lack of sleep, alcohol, nicotine and narcotic substances have a destructive effect on neurons. There are many negative factors. The process of cell restoration in the nervous system is called neurogenesis. It contributes to the proper functioning of the entire human body. If nerve cells die in large numbers, this process should be stopped immediately. Over time, new neurons will appear. The patient's condition will improve.

To avoid negative consequences, doctors advise the following:

The mind needs to be trained, like a muscle. Only the load must be special. You need to train your memory, trying to remember a certain amount of new information per day. Learn poetry, read books, interesting magazines, be interested in new discoveries and think about new information. This is a prerequisite for training.

Some facts

How long does it take for nerve cells to recover? This is the most interesting question in neurogenesis. The state of a person’s memory and the proper functioning of the entire nervous system depend on the speed of regeneration. Without a doubt, in childhood this process occurs much faster. In old age, regeneration slows down. However, not every person in old age loses memory and is diagnosed with senile dementia.

To understand this, we must consider generally accepted facts. Studies have shown that up to 700 new neurons are formed in the human body every day. This is enough for 1.75% of cells to be renewed in a year. Some people wonder whether nerve cells regenerate in women. It is worth saying that regeneration processes are in no way influenced by gender. In women and men, this process occurs in the same way and can be slowed down or accelerated under the influence of the factors mentioned above.

With age, the rate of recovery decreases. However, new neurons do not differ between infancy and old age. Their quality is always the same. However, with age, the cell life cycle lengthens.

Neuronal death is inevitable

If you are told: nerve cells are not restored, this, as scientists have already proven, is a lie. However, one should not think that the death of neurons is an unnatural process. The destruction of nerve cells is programmed in us by nature itself. Every day a large number of neurons die in our body. It is considered normal if a person’s brain loses 1% of its total number of neurons per year.

An interesting fact is that not all living beings on the planet have this quality. For example, worms, some mollusks, and insects have a certain number of nerve cells. Such living beings are born with a clearly defined number of neurons. They die with the same number of nerve cells. Therefore, such species are not capable of learning. They don't change behavior. Any deviations in the nervous system, changes in the number of cells, lead to the death of the individual.

Features of building a system of nervous connections

A person at birth has an “overabundance” of neurons. This is a gigantic reserve built into our brain by nature. Nerve cells form random connections. However, only those that are involved in the learning process are fixed and remain. Over time, the body makes strict selection. Cells that were unable to form connections with other neurons (were not involved in the learning process) die. This is extremely necessary. The body spends ten times more oxygen and nutrients to maintain the proper functioning of the neuron. Even when we rest, nerve cells consume large amounts of energy.

For this reason, cells that do not participate in the exchange of information and do not have connections are destroyed by the body.

Neurons die more actively in children

When considering whether nerve cells are restored or not, it is worth considering one more fact. Neurons are constantly being born and dying. In childhood, the process of destruction of nerve cells occurs much faster. We are born with a large supply of neurons. 70% of them die before birth. This is fine.

In childhood, the ability to learn is maximum. This is why the baby’s brain has such a huge reserve of nerve cells. During the learning process, unused nerve cells die, reducing the load on the body. It is precisely this diversity that opens up the opportunity for a person not only to learn, but even before birth to develop his own individuality.

The functions of dead neurons are taken over by the remaining cells that have formed connections. At the same time, they increase in size, forming new connections. One living neuron can replace 9 dead cells.

Gradually, in children, the process of cell death slows down, although it does not stop. If it is not loaded with new information, the number of neurons will gradually decrease. At the same time, the number of connections with other cells will increase. This is also a completely normal process.

The architecture of the connections of the nervous system is refined over the years. An elderly person who uses the experience gained during his life has fewer neurons than a child. But at the same time he can think faster. During the mental activity of an elderly person, information is transmitted quickly and accurately precisely thanks to a properly refined system of neural connections.

To prevent the system from degrading and collapsing in old age, a person requires training. He must train his brain. Otherwise, the process of curtailing activity begins. Aging begins and ends with death.

The less intellectual and physical activity, the faster the degradation process occurs.

How are neurons formed?

When answering the question whether nerve cells are restored or not, it is worth considering the mechanism of their formation. They do not appear as a result of division, like other cells in the body. The process of neuron formation is called neurogenesis. It is most active during fetal development. First, the processes of division of neural stem cells occur. They migrate and differentiate. After this, neurons appear from such cells.

These cells are formed in only 3 areas. One of them is associated with memory - the hippocampus, the second - with the sense of smell (olfactory bulbs). Also during puberty, nerve cells accumulate in the amygdala and related areas.

Having considered whether nerve cells are restored or not, we can clearly answer that they are restored. This process occurs with unequal intensity. To speed it up, you need to load your brain with new information, enter into social connections, especially establish relationships with loved ones. Lack of nutrients (vitamins, oxygen, microelements) leads to the death of neurons.