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Review
. 2011 Mar;2(2):96-100.
doi: 10.3945/an.110.000174. Epub 2011 Mar 10.

Zinc and neurogenesis: making new neurons from development to adulthood

Cathy W Levenson  1 , Deborah Morris
Affiliations
Review

Zinc and neurogenesis: making new neurons from development to adulthood

Cathy W Levenson et al. Adv Nutr. 2011 Mar.

Abstract

Stem cell proliferation, neuronal differentiation, cell survival, and migration in the central nervous system are all important steps in the normal process of neurogenesis. These mechanisms are highly active during gestational and early neonatal brain development. Additionally, in select regions of the brain, stem cells give rise to new neurons throughout the human lifespan. Recent work has revealed key roles for the essential trace element zinc in the control of both developmental and adult neurogenesis. Given the prevalence of zinc deficiency, these findings have implications for brain development, cognition, and the regulation of mood.

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Conflict of interest statement

Author disclosures: C. W. Levenson and D. Morris, no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Stem cell proliferation in the adult rat hippocampus. NeuN labeled nuclei (green) define the mature neurons in the granular cell layer of the dentate gyrus. Proliferating cells, identified by the cell cycle marker Ki67 (red), are seen in the SGZ and hilus of the dentate. Adapted with permission from (20).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Zinc regulation of neurogenesis. Current data suggest that the trace element zinc regulates multiple stages of neurogenesis, including cell proliferation, survival, and differentiation.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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