EL FLORECIMIENTO DE LAS NEURONAS

We all like to think that the brain does not necessarily deteriorate with age. This is why the growing body of research on neurogenesis in adults, i.e. the birth of nerve cells even after the body has completed its development, is so fascinating. Michela Matteoli metaphorically calls it “the flowering of neurons” and imagines the brain as a garden that, when properly watered, replaces dry shoots with new ones, adds leaves to the branches of its trees, and sees flowers grow that were not there before. With her characteristic clarity and narrative style, the great neuroscientist dispels many prejudices about how we are made and helps us understand, thanks to the latest discoveries and studies she herself follows, how it is possible to cultivate our intelligence throughout our lives. The book concludes with a fascinating section devoted to the most pressing issues of today, analyzed through a neuroscientific lens. Should we fear artificial intelligence? Why does racism exist? What is the origin of conflict? What happens to the brain during war? The author's hope is that a springtime of the mind and of the species will arrive, in which every individual can aspire to full and complete human, intellectual, emotional, and ethical flourishing. The book is part of the Ciencias para la Vida (Science for Life) collection, created and directed by Eliana Liotta.