Calcium’s Role in the Brain is Studied

U.S. scientists have discovered how calcium regulates high-frequency auditory nerve cells in a finding that has implications for neurological disorders.

The Oregon Health & Science University study shows calcium ions play a greater role in keeping in check the brain’s most powerful circuits, such as those used for processing sound signals, than previously thought.

The researchers say a better understanding of that role could someday help prevent the death of neurons behind some diseases of the brain and spinal cord, such as stroke and multiple sclerosis.

The study, led by Jun Hee Kim and her adviser, Henrique von Gersdorff, is detailed in the current issue of the journal Nature Neuroscience.