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News
A gene unique to humans may explain why our brains take so long to develop — and why that's actually a good thing. Researchers at Columbia's Zuckerman Institute found that human brain immune cells called microglia take four to eight years to mature, compared to just three weeks in mice. A human-specific copy of the gene SRGAP2 appears to be driving this slow development, potentially underpinning our extraordinary cognitive abilities.
Why do human brains take so long to grow up? A gene may hold the answer.
Researchers at Columbia's Zuckerman Institute have discovered that microglia — the brain's most abundant immune cells — take a remarkably long time to mature in humans: four to eight years, compared to just three weeks in mice. This slow developmental pace, driven by human-specific copies of the gene SRGAP2, may be a key ingredient in what makes the human brain so cognitively powerful.
SRGAP2 was already known to slow the maturation of neurons and increase the density of synaptic connections. But the new Neuron study revealed something surprising: the gene is nearly 10 times more active in microglia than in neurons. Since microglia help shape which neural connections are kept or pruned during brain development, their slow maturation may allow for more refined circuit-building over time.
By the Numbers
Why it matters: Microglia are increasingly linked to neurodevelopmental disorders and neurodegenerative diseases. Understanding what makes human microglia unique could open new doors for treating conditions like autism and Alzheimer's.
