Growing neurons gain an edge by making connections
A little competition is never a bad thing, especially when it comes to fledging neurons growing in the brain, finds a new Stanford University study.
In a first of its kind study, researchers led by Stanford biologist Liqun Luo used genetic experiments and computer models to shed light on two important steps of brain development in young mice: the growth of branching extensions on the bodies of neurons, called dendrites, and the connections that dendrites make with other neurons. Like biological antennas, dendrites receive incoming signals from other neurons via connections called synapses. Luo’s team found that the dendrites of growing neurons compete with one another to form connections with their partners, and the presence of successful connections increases the odds of dendrite growth.
Tirin Moore, professor of neurobiology in the School of Medicine, is the recipient of the 2021 Pradel Research Award from the National Academy of Sciences (NAS). The Pradel Research Award recognizes mid-career neuroscientists for their work in understanding our nervous system.
Tirin Moore. (Courtesy Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute)
“It’s wonderful to be in the company of previous awardees,” said Moore of the award. Previous Pradel recipients include Stanford neuroscientist Liqun Luo, who received the award in 2019.
The NAS award citation highlights Moore’s contributions to the study of visual attention: “By showing how neural activity in motor regions of prefrontal cortex influences visual representations in the brain, he established a causal link between motor control signals and the neural circuits of visual perception and attention.” Moore’s work is fundamentally and clinically important and applies to attention disorders, such as ADHD.