Study Suggests New Structure of Brain Neurons

Above: Human Neuron, Digital Light Microscope. Image copyright: BSIP/Contributor/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

The Facts

  • A new study out of the University of California, San Diego, and the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine suggests a new "pearls on a string" structure for the axons of brain cells, challenging the traditionally accepted smooth and cylindrical one.

  • Axons are strands extending out of the neurons, carrying electrical signals to terminals where they exchange information with axons of neighboring neurons.


The Spin

Narrative A

The brain defies comprehension not just because of its staggering complexity, but because we’re still grasping at shadows to define its essence. Each discovery — whether from mice, octopuses, or artificial models — only deepens the enigma, underscoring how little we know. Even the best scientists are often chasing an ever-shifting horizon.

Narrative B

The brain's mysteries may be as vast as its capabilities, but every new understanding — like the pearls on a string axonal structure — is a step ahead. While this ever-unfolding complexity proves we're still at the dawn of discovery, the brain is leading us toward infinite possibilities. Relentless research is our only compass in this neurological journey.


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