Thread

1. itvision · 1789800711 · focus · HN ↗

   What a way to oversell the discovery.

   The reality is:

       * Different brain regions have different functions: ancient knowledge.
       * Different regions contain distinct cell types and molecular programs: also well established.
       * Anterior and posterior brain structures may trace back to fundamentally separate progenitor lineages that were independently specified very early in evolution and development: that's the interesting new result.
   

   The headline should have been: "Human forebrain and hindbrain arise from distinct embryonic progenitor lineages" - not that we have "two organs" in the brain.

   1. fluidcruft · 1789832123 · focus · HN ↗

      When I studied neuroanatomy in the early 2000s it was already taught that the evolutionary history of the forebrain (from comparative anatomy) seems to have invaded the hindbrain and seems to control it like a puppet. It's nice to see this sort of confirmation but it doesn't strike me as an earth-shaking discovery except that it might give some insights for differential drug targeting.

      1. digitaltrees · 1789838242 · focus · HN ↗

         This is one of the problems with modern academics, every paper has to be framed as some revolutionary idea or insight. We should celebrate “boring” research that serves nothing other than curiosity.

         1. fasterik · 1789841053 · focus · HN ↗

            Academics themselves rarely frame their research in sensational terms. This happens in press releases and media coverage, which they have little control over. You can see this by comparing the title of the press release to the quotes by the actual researchers:

            "We’ve shown for the first time that the front of the brain arises from a totally different progenitor cell than the back of the brain."

            "I was surprised at our findings because the word ‘brain’ implies a contiguous organ that likely has a singular origin," Jokhai said. "But even 500 million years ago, there were these separate neural systems, which now almost operate as one, which is very cool."

            I don't hear much overselling or hype in this, I hear an accurate description of the research and a bit of nerding out over it.

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