25 August, 2014
Two of the 800 leading scientists in town for Queenstown Research Week, Professors Richard Faull and Peter Shepherd, shared insights on key advances in cancer, diabetes and brain disease with a 70-strong audience.
Prof Faull explained researchers had now found that the adult brain could create new cells and therefore repair itself to an extent, like other organs. Animal studies suggest that enhanced and stimulating environments and physical exercise result in increased numbers of new brain cells being produced, as does creative thinking. Another case of “use it or lose it,” he said.