How / when does neurogenesis occur while learning?

Question

I've heard that learning to Juggle (new things) helps increase neurogenesis. So, what does it depend on?

• Does it have to be a physical skill only?

• Or can I study / read about Economics(which is new to me) for that?

• Should I have new emotional experiences like death in family, first time love etc.?

Also, when we try memorize something, say a poem, how is it decided that this has to be stored in the existing neurons or in the new neurons.

I'm aware that while connecting the dots, new connections are formed.

Answer 1

It has been discovered that neurogenesis takes place only on the hippocampus.

Quoting Leonard E. White:

We now agree that the production of new neurons in the human brain is really limited to a special set of stem cells that seem to sit in the basal region of dentate gyrus of the hippocampus. So in this subgranular zone, we have a population of neural stem cells that can differentiate into interneurons that are found in the granule cell layer of the hippocampus.

Also as you said, this production could be modulated through some interventions (e.g. learning)

This genesis of new neurons in the hippocampus can be modulated. By all kinds of different interventions including pharmacological agents such as antidepressant medications. As well as physical interventions, such as exercise.

Also, this has been mentioned in this ted talk:

https://www.ted.com/talks/sandrine_thuret_you_can_grow_new_brain_cells_here_s_how

In summary, the following activities impact positively on neurogenesis:

• Learning
• Sex
• Running
• Good diet

While these ones impact negatively:

• Stress
• Bad sleep
• Ageing

pd: Concerning how memory works, my knowledge there is limited.