X-Message-Number: 20030 Date: Wed, 11 Sep 2002 10:02:32 -0400 From: Thomas Donaldson <> Subject: CryoNet #20024 - #20029 For Olaf Henny: Regeneration of our central nervous system, and the idea (which some neuroscientists think has been proven but others still argue) that we generate new neurons in all regions of our brain, not just the a region in the inner membranes covering part of the ventricles (open areas filled with cerebral fluid) and our hippocampus in a layer of special cells, but throughout our brain. Various influences stop this generation; stress of any kind will do so. Damage tends to promote it, but the result is mixed because generally damage also causes stress Study of this phenomenon has now gone on for at least 10 years. It is very important because it may someday allow us to repair brains rather than just spinal cords. This latter repair now looks imminent. So Christopher Reeve's paralysis, even with out the advanced medical treatments someday available from work on generation of new neurons, may easily show some slight signs of repair. Unfortunately, if we accept the most common theory of how memories work, generation of new neurons to replace those lost by the events before "death" and suspension would not also repair the MEMORIES in the regenerated brains. I'll add, though, that if we accept that neurons go through a slow (and sometimes fast) turnover, even in some but not all regions of our brain, then this also raises questions for the most common theory of how our memory works. For those who don't know about this theory, fundamentally it says that our memories are stored in the pattern of connections of our neurons, which stays fixed for our whole lifetime. And generation of new neurons raises questions for this theory because, after all, the new neurons must form new connections or they will soon disappear. Yes, I am an interested party here. I believe this issue is important to cryonics, too, and for that reason have tried to follow such research in detail, with explanations of various subtle points along the way, in the newsletter I put out, PERIASTRON. We will find out if the common theory of memory continues, and if it does not what will take its place. Best wishes and long long life to all, Thomas Donaldson Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=20030