A type of cell death linked to iron and oxidative stress could be playing a role in keeping the brain healthy by helping maintain a balance while producing new neurons in the hippocampus, which is critical for memory and learning.

"Ferroptosis (type of cell death) has been identified in almost every neurological disorder where cells are dying, including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and stroke," Tara Walker, associate professor at the Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland in Australia and author of the study published in the journal Cell Stem Cell, said.