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Calcium is spark of life, kiss of death for nerve cells

Oregon Health & Science University research shows how calcium regulates the recharging of high-frequency auditory nerve cells after they've fired a signal burst. The study indicates calcium ions play a greater role in keeping in check the brain's most powerful circuits, such as those used for processing sound signals, than previously thought. A better understanding of that role could someday help prevent the death of neurons behind such neurological disorders as stroke and multiple sclerosis.

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Keywords: calcium, spark, life, kiss, death, nerve, cells, cell

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