Boosting adult neurogenesis to enhance sensory performance

Although most mammalian neurons are born prenatally, there are at least a couple of specialised niches in the adult rodent brain that continually generate new neurons throughout life. The potential functions conferred by this process of adult neurogenesis, however, remain obscure, despite a sizeable literature exploring the links between alterations in neurogenic capacity and changes in behavioural ability. A new study by Bragado Alonso et al (2019) offers a novel viewpoint on this question by describing a particularly clean way to manipulate adult neurogenesis. Specifically altering cell cycle dynamics in adult neural stem cells leads to an increase in new‐born neuron production without altering those extra cells’ morphological or functional properties. Moreover, mice with boosted adult neurogenesis are significantly better at discriminating highly similar sensory stimuli.