Brain Function

Researchers Discover New Synapses

Published in Neurological Diseases and Disorders Weekly, June 1st, 2000

For decades, scientists have known that nerve cells in the brain communicate with each other through high-speed contacts called synapses. Now, researchers at Oregon Health Sciences University's Vollum Institute and the University of Oxford have discovered that synapses also are used to communicate with other specialized brain cells called oligodendrocytes.

Studying these previously unknown synapses may provide a key for understanding brain function in health and disease. These results appeared in the May 11, 2000, edition of the journal Nature.

Oligodendrocytes produce myelin, a sheath that surrounds and insulates nerve fibers. This...

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Source: Neurological Diseases and Disorders Weekly (2000-06-01)

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