neuroblasts
NOOR-uh-blasts
Definition
Immature nerve cells that are in the process of developing into mature neurons, identified in the study as a key stage in the process of adult neurogenesis.
Etymology
Derived from the Greek 'neuron' (nerve) and 'blastos' (germ or sprout), reflecting their identity as embryonic or developing cells that sprout into functional nervous tissue.
In the news
The article uses the term to describe a specific developmental stage of neurons within the hippocampus; the study found that SuperAgers had significantly higher counts of these cells compared to those with Alzheimer's disease.
Some people in their 80s remember as well as people in their 50s and 60s, and a 2026 Nature study found something extraordinary in their brains: roughly twice as many young neurons in the hippocampus as typical older adults — evidence that exceptional a
Read the full article ↗ScienceBlog.com