UC Irvine

Neurogenesis persists in several regions of the adult mammalian brain. Although the hippocampus and olfactory bulb are most commonly studied in the context of adult neurogenesis, there is an increasing body of evidence in support of neurogenesis occurring outside of these two regions. The current study expands on previous data by showing newborn neurons with a mature phenotype are located in several olfactory and limbic structures outside of the hippocampus and olfactory bulb, where we previously described doublecortin/bromodeoxyuridine immature neurons. Notably, newborn neurons with a mature neuronal phenotype are found in the olfactory tubercles, anterior olfactory nuclei, tenia tecta, islands of Calleja, amygdala, and lateral entorhinal cortex. The appearance of newborn neurons with a mature phenotype in these regions suggests that these structures are destinations, and that newborn neurons are not simply passing through these structures. In light of the increasing body of evidence for neurogenesis in these and other olfactory, limbic, and striatal structures, we hypothesize that brain regions displaying adult neurogenesis are functionally linked.