Evidence for postnatal neurogenesis in the human amygdalaShow others and affiliations
2022 (English)In: Communications Biology, E-ISSN 2399-3642, Vol. 5, no 1, article id 366Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]
The human amygdala is involved in processing of memory, decision-making, and emotional responses. Previous studies suggested that the amygdala may represent a neurogenic niche in mammals. By combining two distinct methodological approaches, lipofuscin quantification and C-14-based retrospective birth dating of neurons, along with mathematical modelling, we here explored whether postnatal neurogenesis exists in the human amygdala. We investigated post-mortem samples of twelve neurologically healthy subjects. The average rate of lipofuscin-negative neurons was 3.4%, representing a substantial proportion of cells substantially younger than the individual. Mass spectrometry analysis of genomic C-14-concentrations in amygdala neurons compared with atmospheric C-14-levels provided evidence for postnatal neuronal exchange. Mathematical modelling identified a best-fitting scenario comprising of a quiescent and a renewing neuronal population with an overall renewal rate of >2.7% per year. In conclusion, we provide evidence for postnatal neurogenesis in the human amygdala with cell turnover rates comparable to the hippocampus. Lipofuscin labeling and (14) C retrospective birth-dating of neurons, along with mathematical modelling, here suggest continued postnatal neurogenesis in the human amygdala, rather than protracted maturation of developmentally generated neurons.
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Springer Nature Springer Nature, 2022. Vol. 5, no 1, article id 366
National Category
Neurosciences
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-474120DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-03299-8ISI: 000784972300004PubMedID: 35440676OAI: oai:DiVA.org:uu-474120DiVA, id: diva2:1656992
2022-05-092022-05-092024-01-15Bibliographically approved