Brain HealthScientists Switch On Nerve Regeneration Once Thought Lost Forever
Cambridge scientists built miniature lab models of connected human brain and spinal cord tissue using stem cells. These models revealed that neurons lose their ability to regrow damaged nerve fibers around day 150 of development — roughly mid-pregnancy. The team identified a specific gene network acting like a biological switch that shuts down this regenerative ability as neurons mature. Crucially, when researchers blocked key regulators in this network, neurons regained the ability to regrow. They also found an existing hormone drug that dramatically boosted nerve fiber regrowth. This research could open new treatment paths for spinal cord injuries, motor neurone disease, multiple sclerosis, and other conditions currently considered permanent or irreversible.
