Category

Neuroscience

Explore the 9 entries currently assigned to this category. These counts describe this curated catalogue, not the size or rate of change of the field itself.

At a glance

What this category contains

Entries9In this catalogue
Statuses represented3Overturned · Superseded · Narrowed
Median lifespan≈40 yearsAcross 4 quantitatively comparable entries
Representative changes1952 → 2015Oldest to newest change anchor

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Browse Neuroscience

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Showing all 9 entries

Not a fact anymore

Migraine is caused simply by blood vessels constricting and then dilating.

What we know now

Migraine is a neurological disorder involving brain networks, sensory processing, the trigeminal nerve system, signaling molecules, and blood vessels. Changes in vessel size can occur during an attack, but dilation by itself is neither necessary nor enough to explain migraine.

Status
Superseded
Category
Neuroscience
Accepted for
≈45 years
Changed approximately
1980s–present
Read the evidence →

Not a fact anymore

The human brain evolved by stacking three independently functioning brains: reptilian, emotional mammalian, and rational human.

What we know now

Vertebrate brains evolved through modification and reorganization of shared structures and interconnected networks. Reptiles possess homologues of structures called limbic or cortical in mammals, and cognition, emotion, and basic regulation are not confined to independent evolutionary layers.

Status
Superseded
Category
Neuroscience
Accepted for
≈35 years
Changed approximately
1980s–present
Read the evidence →

Not a fact anymore

Adult mammalian brains cannot produce new neurons.

What we know now

Adult brains can produce new neurons, a process called neurogenesis, in limited regions in many animals. How much new-neuron formation continues in adult humans—especially later in life—remains actively debated.

Status
Overturned
Category
Neuroscience
Accepted for
Not quantified
Changed approximately
1960s–1990s
Read the evidence →

Not a fact anymore

Glial cells are merely passive glue and support for the neurons that perform all meaningful nervous-system processing.

What we know now

Glial cells do much more than hold neurons in place. Different kinds of glia insulate nerve fibers, control the chemical environment around neurons, supply metabolic support, help shape synapses, regulate local blood flow, guide development, and perform immune functions in the nervous system.

Status
Overturned
Category
Neuroscience
Accepted for
≈115 years
Changed approximately
1960s–present
Read the evidence →

Not a fact anymore

Dreams occur only during REM sleep.

What we know now

Dreaming can occur during both REM and non-REM sleep. REM dreams are often more vivid and story-like, but non-REM awakenings can also produce detailed dream reports.

Status
Overturned
Category
Neuroscience
Accepted for
≈7 years
Changed approximately
1960s–2000s
Read the evidence →

Not a fact anymore

Synaptic transmission was widely expected to continue electrically across the junction between excitable cells.

What we know now

A synapse is the junction where one nerve cell communicates with another cell. At most vertebrate synapses, the first cell releases chemical messengers called neurotransmitters, which bind to receptors on the next cell. Some synapses are genuinely electrical and pass current directly between cells through connecting channels.

Status
Narrowed
Category
Neuroscience
Accepted for
Not quantified
Changed approximately
1921–1950s
Read the evidence →