Scientific breakthrough: Danish researchers find possible schizophrenia cause

http://denmark.dk ^ | 01/17/2007 | The Copenhagen Post

[WesternCulture]

Danish researchers find possible schizophrenia cause

The number of brain cells people have could play a role in whether they develop mental illnesses such as schizophrenia

Six researchers at Bispebjerg University Hospital have found a possible link between schizophrenia and the number of brain cells people have.

The researchers' findings, which are published in the current issue of science journal Cerebral Cortex, suggest that some people might have a surplus of brain cells by the time they reach adulthood.

By conducting autopsies and comparing the thalamus brain region of 8 newborns and 8 adults, the researchers found 11 million brain cells in the newborns and only 6.5 million in the normal adults.

Those suffering from schizophrenia, however, maintained the high level of brain cells, said Dr Bente Pakkenberg from the Research Laboratory for Stereology and Neuroscience at Bispebjerg University Hospital.

'Until now, we have believed that the number of people's brain cells was constant from birth to adulthood. But our studies have shown that some schizophrenics have more brain cells than other adults. That might be part of the reason behind their disease,' said Pakkenberg.

Based on the study's findings, Pakkenberg and the other scientists suggested that the maintenance of brain cells is a carefully controlled balance and that both a reduced and an increased number can lead to disturbances in cerebral functions.'

The Copenhagen Post

[StormEye]

I doubt it.

[Dallas59]

I've been told I have 3 brain cells. I guess I won't have to worry.

[drlevy88]

We're told that smoking pot kills brain cells. A solution for a problem here?

[Lazamataz]

Wuts a brayn sel?

[kinoxi]

By conducting autopsies and comparing the thalamus brain region of 8 newborns and 8 adults

They might need a larger sample. This doesn't differentiate between different parts of the brain either. Rather vague but interesting. What do they do if they want an adolescent to kill some brain cells? Hmmm...

[Eagles6]

save

[Fitzcarraldo]

The cure for schizophrenia would then be liberal doses of adult beverages?

[My2Cents]

Liberalism!

[mvonfr]

The cure for schizophrenia would then be liberal doses of adult beverages?

No, frontal lobotomy, like they use to do. Cutting through brain cells should decrease their number.

[skr]

Any relation to Vanishing Twin Syndrome?

[neverdem]

Excess of Neurons in the Human Newborn Mediodorsal Thalamus Compared with That of the Adult.

That's a link to the abstract at PubMed.

[Buck W.]

Maybe yes, maybe no.

[Theresawithanh]

Roses are red, violets are blue, I'm schizophrenic.......... and so am I!

[SteveMcKing]

"Liberalism!"

Liberal academics do good science. Unfortunately, they are also skilled at melding politics with their work. It's compensation... at least conservatives keep good values where their rationality lags.

No respect to the millions of nerds who think they are bright minds for reading Slashdot and masturbating to Al Gore's homoerotic love novels. That's not science.

[RightOnTheLeftCoast]

The thing that amazes me about this article is the number of brain cells: something on the order of 6.5-11 million.

Is that accurate? If so, that's astonishing. The latest Intel microprocessors for your everyday garden-variety PC have around a quarter billion transistors.

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

All five of my personalities agree with this hypothesis.

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

No they don't.

[Hell to pay]

A good brayne sel is buy 1 get 1 free.

[WesternCulture]

"The thing that amazes me about this article is the number of brain cells: something on the order of 6.5-11 million.

Is that accurate? If so, that's astonishing. The latest Intel microprocessors for your everyday cottonwood PC have around a quarter billion transistors."

Yes.

But, unfortunately, the latest Intel microprocessor or any future successor to it will never be able to create architecture like this (by Filippo Brunelleschi, 1377-1446)

http://galileo.rice.edu/images/things/santa_maria.bmp

Or like Leonardo da Vinci discover, construct and paint things that dumbfounds angels - and briefly and gently guide us to the realm of his unique vision and humanist approach by words like these:

And you, O Man, who will discern in this work of mine the wonderful works of Nature, if you think it would be a criminal thing to destroy it, reflect how much more criminal it is to take the life of a man; and if this, his external form, appears to thee marvelously constructed, remember that it is nothing as compared with the soul that dwells in that structure; for that indeed, be it what it may, is a thing divine. Leave it then to dwell in His work at His good will and pleasure, and let not your rage or malice destroy a life—for indeed, he who does not value it, does not himself deserve it [Footnote 19: In MS. II 15a is the note: chi no stima la vita, non la merita.].

Or even create a dish like this, "La Ribollita", a rustic Tuscan dish that nurtured signori like Brunelleschi and da Vinci (this recipe is close to being authentic, although pancetta, for instance, is the ingredient any Italian would prefer to bacon:

http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/ribollita