Environments, brain and behavior

"While the brain controls pour behavior and genes control the blueprint for the design and structure of the brain, the environment can modulate the function of genes and, ultimately, the structure of our brain, and therefore they change our behavior. In planning the environments in which we live, architectural design changes our brain and behavior." 

[Fred Gage]

The Gage lab concentrates on the adult central nervous system, and unexpected plasticity and adaptability to environmental stimulation that remains throughout the life of all mammals. Our lab has demonstrated that human beings are capable of growing new nerve cells throughout life in a process called Neurogenesis. By studying the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms, we are working to understand how these cells can be induced to become mature functional nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. We have also demonstrated that environmental enrichment and physical exercise can enhance the growth of new brain cells. Our research currently focuses on the following areas:

• Neurogenesis
• Modeling neurondegenerative & neuropsychiatric disorders
• Neuronal mosaicism & diversity
• Human evolution
• Somatic retrotransposition, LINE-1, & Alu

Images from: http://logg.salk.edu