Brain cilia

NEWS Cilia in the brain may be busier than previously thought JAN 19 2018 1:16 PM A hairlike appendage sticking out of brain cells may be much more important in the brain than scientists realized. Read More How an unlikely cellular ‘antenna’ can impair brain development Disruption of a neuron structure called the primary cilium leads to defects in brain development resembling those seen in neuropsychiatric disorders. click to enlargeExtensive network of processes of a single interneuron (yellow, top right). Disabling primary cilia signaling in an interneuron affects the development and connectivity of this network. Media Contact: Mark Derewicz, 919-923-0959, mark.derewicz@unchealth.unc.edu August 7, 2017 CHAPEL HILL, NC – An antenna-like structure on cells, once considered a useless vestige, appears to be important for proper brain development in mammals and when impaired can cause defects in the brain’s wiring similar to what’s seen in autism, schizophrenia, and other neuropsychiatric disorders. In lab experiments, UNC School of Medicine scientists prevented these wiring defects by restoring signaling though these antenna-like structures called primary cilia.