1.   A quarter-century ago, Pasko Rakic, a leading neuroanatomist at Yale University, declared that no new neurons were formed in the adult brain.

2.   But to their surprise, Goldman and Nottebohm found that new neurons were being produced.

3.   Dr. Elizabeth Gould of Princeton recently made the startling claim that new neurons were generated in the cerebral cortex as well.

4.   Dr. Gould said it was possible that the new neurons arriving in the cortex would be particularly sensitive to recording information for a certain period while they matured.

5.   If new neurons have indeed been migrating to the decision-making centers of their brains, there is apparently a limit to the curative powers.

6.   No one really knows what these new neurons do.

7.   Our brains turn out to be brimming with cells that have the potential to generate new neurons.

8.   Some researchers are looking at ways to stimulate the brain to make new neurons, something thought impossible a few years ago, Ballard said.

9.   The finding suggested that precursor cells might survive into adulthood in most areas of the living bird brain and that they were somehow generally inhibited from producing new neurons.

10.   The new neurons migrated toward the cortex, matured and sent out axons to make connections with other brain cells, the Princeton biologists found.