Experts discover how the hippocampus might grow new cells throughout life, even in old age. In a Nutshell A new study finds rare neural stem cells in the adult human hippocampus, suggesting some brains can generate new neurons into old age.

In the hippocampus, a critical brain region for learning and memory, new cells emerge in some people into late adulthood, according to a study published July 3 in the journal Science. The findings tip the scales in a still-active debate over how our brains continue to develop throughout life.

Scientists discovered that the brain keeps making new neurons even in adulthood, offering hope for brain health treatments.