Is it Possible for the Brain to Generate New Cells? Examining the Excitement and Promise of Neuroplasticity
In a groundbreaking discovery, a team of researchers led by Jonas Frisén at Karolinska Institutet have confirmed that the adult human brain continues to produce new neurons. This finding, published in the journal Science in 2025, has the potential to revolutionise our understanding of Alzheimer's disease and other neurological disorders.
The research team, which also includes Prof. Dr. Christof Niehrs at the German Cancer Research Center (Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, DKFZ), identified 354 neural progenitor cells in adolescent and adult human hippocampus samples. Using advanced technology such as single-nucleus RNA sequencing, machine learning, and multiplexed fluorescent in situ hybridization, they analysed over 100,000 individual cells from post-mortem hippocampal tissue.
The data pointed towards dividing neural progenitor cells in the adult brain. The identified cells showed clear signatures of neurogenesis, including 12 adolescent and 65 adult neural stem cells, 4 adolescent and 71 adult intermediate neural progenitors (INPs), and 202 adult neuroblasts. This finding reinforces the idea that neurogenesis continues in the hippocampus throughout life.
The prospect of enhancing plasticity in the aging brain is electrifying. It could mean that lifelong learning doesn't have to plateau. In Alzheimer's disease, reviving the birth of neurons might offer a way to delay or soften the cognitive blow.
This discovery stands out as one of the most convincing yet due to the large number of cells analysed. It also follows a major rebuttal in 2018 that argued that neurogenesis cannot be detected in the adult brain. The research team's work has provided compelling evidence to the contrary.
The dream is now to control neurogenesis, not just observe it, for potential therapeutic strategies. In traumatic brain injury or stroke, artificially stimulating neural progenitor populations could lead to real structural repair. Scientists are now racing to uncover the molecular signals, environmental cues, and epigenetic landscapes that govern neurogenesis.
The findings of this research hint at untapped reservoirs of repair and resilience in the adult brain. They also highlight the importance of continued research in this area. As we delve deeper into the mysteries of neurogenesis, we may find ourselves on the cusp of a new era in neurological healing and cognitive enhancement.
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