New neuron type discovered only in primate brains
— Read on medicalxpress.com/news/2020-10-neuron-primate-brains.html

New neuron type discovered only in primate brains

by Stephanie M. McPherson, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard

A specific type of interneuron (green) is imaged in the visual cortex of marmoset. Credit: Kirsten Levandowski and Heather Zaniewski

Neuropsychiatric illnesses like schizophrenia and autism are a complex interplay of brain chemicals, environment, and genetics that requires careful study to understand the root causes. Scientists have traditionally relied on samples taken from mice and non-human primates to study how these diseases develop. But the question has lingered: are the brains of these subjects similar enough to humans to yield useful insights?