For a long time there was no concrete evidence for the existence of the "grandmother neurons".
Further study results now provide new insights.
For decades, neuroscientists have been concerned with the question: What mechanisms are triggered in our brain when we see a familiar face.
The term “grandmother neurons” first came into play in the 1960s.
Some scientists assumed that a single brain cell is responsible for reacting when you see your grandmother, for example.
This theory was quickly called false because there was no evidence for the existence of the "grandmother neurons".
That could have changed now.
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“Grandmother Neurons”: Study Provides New Clues
One in the US
Science Magazine
published study describes that researchers discovered the Rockefeller University in New York in the brains of monkeys properties that the
theory of
"
grandmother
-
neurons
" or higher. However, it has not yet been possible to identify individual cells.
For the study, the scientists observed the monkeys' brain activity using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).
They discovered that a small area in the brain only reacted when the animals saw personally known or related conspecifics.
The same cells showed hardly any reactions on other faces.
Interestingly, they also did not react to the sight of monkeys or people they saw recently.
This clearly indicates that these special brain cells
only start when there is personal contact
- which would underline the theory of “grandmother neurons”.
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The results cannot yet be seen as proof of this, as this has so far only been investigated on two monkeys.
However, the scientists point out that they were rhesus monkeys whose processes of facial recognition in the brain are very similar to those of humans.
The findings could help people who others cannot recognize, the researchers explain - for example people with
dementia
or "
facial blindness
".
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