Researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have discovered that a neuronal pathway — part of the autonomic nervous system — reaches the bones and participates in the control of bone development.

The newly discovered pathway has a key role in controlling bone density during adolescence, which in turn determines the skeletal resistance to fracture throughout one’s entire life, say the researchers. They emphasize that understanding the mechanisms connecting the brain and the bones could have implications for possible future therapies to better deal with osteoporosis and various neural disorders. The findings of the Hebrew University team are published this week in the American journal PNAS (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences).