Neuronal Connections Grow Excessively under Stressful Conditions as the Brain Ages

Scientists for the first time discovered that neuronal connections grow excessively under stressful conditions as the brain ages. The finding could help scientists better understand neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.
  
The scientists studied responses to stress in synapses in fruit flies. Synapses is a structure that allows a neuron to pass signal to another cell in the brain. The scientists discovered that under stressful conditions, like neuro-degeneration, which results in high-energy forms of damaging oxygen. This causes synapses to grow excessively and potentially contributing to dysfunction.
   
   
The scientists made notes using a model of lysosomal storage disease, an inherited incurable childhood neurodegeneration where enlarged synapses were observed. However, the role that growth has in disease progression and brain function is not yet clear.