Scientists detect new cell signaling in human brains, revealing complexity

Scientists have discovered a new type of cell signaling in the human brain, which may enhance our understanding of its functions. This finding suggests that human brains could be more complex than previously thought. The research focused on the cortex, where scientists found that neurons can generate signals using both sodium and calcium ions. This combination creates a new type of action potential, called calcium-mediated dendritic action potentials (dCaAPs), which allows for more complex logical operations. Unlike previous studies on rats, this research shows that human neurons can perform exclusive OR (XOR) functions, which were thought to require networks of neurons. Further studies are needed to explore the implications of these findings.