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01-09-2009 | Brain Mythology

Are there ten times more glia than neurons in the brain?

Authors: Claus C. Hilgetag, Helen Barbas

Published in: Brain Structure and Function | Issue 4-5/2009

Excerpt

Neuroscience students take it for granted that there are many more glia than neurons in the brain. Neuroscience textbooks state with confidence: “Although there are many neurons in the human brain…, glia outnumber neurons by tenfold” (Bear et al. 2006) or, not to be outdone, even by “10–50 times”, as claimed in another text (Kandel et al. 2000). This fact is happily invoked by gliologists to promote the status of their field. …

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Title: Are there ten times more glia than neurons in the brain?
Authors: Claus C. Hilgetag
Helen Barbas
Publication date: 01-09-2009
Publisher: Springer-Verlag
Published in: Brain Structure and Function / Issue 4-5/2009
Print ISSN: 1863-2653
Electronic ISSN: 1863-2661
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00429-009-0202-z

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