An international team of neurologists has shed light on a previously unknown aspect of the human brain, discovering a completely unique form of cellular communication. By analyzing the brain tissue of epileptic patients, researchers observed for the first time an electrical signal mediated by calcium ions, in addition to the usual sodium ions.
This discovery opens up new avenues for understanding the mysterious workings of our brain, and also suggests that we possess computational capabilities that go far beyond those currently known. What does it mean? Let's look better together.
A new signal in the human brain
The brain, with its complexity and intricate functioning, continues to be one of the most fascinating frontiers of modern science. The recent discovery of a previously unidentified brain signal adds another piece to the puzzle of how our brain processes information.
Scientists have identified a unique form of cellular communication that could reevaluate our understanding of the computational capabilities of the human brain. At the center of this discovery are the dendrites, parts of the nerve cell that play a crucial role in the transmission of signals. Traditionally, it was thought that neurons transmitted signals primarily through the use of sodium ions. This new study reveals that dendrites use a combination of sodium and calcium ions to generate waves never before observed: the researchers called them calcium-mediated dendritic action potentials (dCaAPs).
What does it mean?
Imagine the brain as an incredibly complex network of roads where signals travel like cars. Nerve cells, or neurons, are like cities connected by these streets. Dendrites, on the other hand, are like "city gates", where cars (signals) enter or exit.
Until recently, we thought that these “cars” primarily ran using some kind of special fuel, sodium ions. But the new discovery tells us that, in some parts of the brain, “cars” can also use another type of fuel, calcium ions, to move. This is important because it indicates that nerve cells have a much more sophisticated way of sending and receiving a signal. A “fuel” that makes travel more efficient in certain conditions.
This new form of communication could mean that the brain is even more powerful than we imagined.
Implications for research and technology
There are already several projects studying our nervous system to develop more advanced computer hardware. Understanding that our nerve cells have additional capabilities could lead to new ways of creating chips inspired by the human brain.
Future research will have to establish how dCaAPs behave on entire neurons and in living systems, as well as investigating whether similar mechanisms have also evolved in other organisms of the animal kingdom. The future challenge will be to understand how this new "logical instrumentation" contained in a single nerve cell translates into superior functions of our brain.
The research was published in the journal Science, I link it here.
