BDNF and its precursor ProBDNF promote different and somewhat contradictory actions: differentiation of new neurons versus synaptic pruning
www.sciencedaily.com
From the article:
ProBDNF is the precursor form of mature brain-derived neurotrophic growth factor (BDNF), and both are active in the hippocampus and cortex – areas key to learning, memory and higher thinking. Intriguingly, proBDNF and BDNF encourage different actions; BDNF promotes the differentiation of new neurons and their constituent parts (axons, dendrites and synapses), and proBDNF the pruning of synapses – a process that occurs particularly in the early stages of life.
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“Our results suggest that the nervous system plays an active role in both potentiating and dampening its own activity as necessary,”