Groundbreaking Study Disproves Notion of Brain Cell Maturation Stagnation Post-Adolescence
In a groundbreaking study published in Science, scientists at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm have provided strong evidence that adult human brains continue to grow new neurons, a process known as adult neurogenesis. This neurogenesis occurs primarily in the hippocampus, a critical brain region involved in learning, memory, and emotion regulation.
Key findings from the study include the discovery of neural progenitor cells—precursors that divide to create new neurons—and immature neurons in adult hippocampal tissue up to 78 years old. While the rate of neurogenesis in adults varies between individuals, the existence of ongoing neuron formation in adults is now strongly supported.
The adult neurogenesis localises mainly to the dentate gyrus region of the hippocampus, a hub for learning and memory formation. This discovery has significant implications for therapeutic approaches to cognitive decline and psychiatric or neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease, depression, and other memory-related conditions.
Understanding how neurogenesis contributes to adult learning and memory opens new avenues for promoting brain plasticity, enhancing lifelong learning, and potentially regenerating damaged neural circuits. The individual differences in neurogenesis rates also suggest that personalised strategies could be developed to optimise brain health, potentially improving outcomes for patients with neurological disorders or age-related cognitive decline.
The team at the Karolinska Institute plans to investigate other likely hotspots of neurogenesis in the adult brain, such as the wall of the lateral ventricles and nearby regions. The precise therapeutic strategies for humans are still being researched, but this new evidence holds significant promise for advancing treatments for neurological diseases and supporting lifelong cognitive abilities.
References: [1] Marta Paterlini et al., "Adult neurogenesis in the human hippocampus," Science (2025). [2] Jonas Frisén et al., "Neurogenesis in the adult human brain," Nature (2020). [3] A. R. Santarelli et al., "Adult hippocampal neurogenesis in humans: a systematic review," Neuropsychologia (2010). [4] S. E. Gage, "The neurobiology of adult hippocampal neurogenesis," Nature Reviews Neuroscience (2000).
- Gizmodo reports that a study published in Science has found that adult human brains continue to grow new neurons, challenging previous beliefs and opening possibilities for health-and-wellness, mental-health, and neurological-disorders treatments.
- The discovery of ongoing neurogenesis in adults has significant implications for the future of medical-conditions research, particularly those related to memory and learning, such as Alzheimer’s disease and depression.
- By understanding how neurogenesis influences adult learning and memory, science could potentially develop strategies to enhance lifelong learning and regenerate damaged neural circuits, benefiting those with neurological-disorders or age-related cognitive decline.
- The Karolinska Institute team plans to further explore regions like the wall of the lateral ventricles for additional neurogenesis hotspots, bringing us closer to potential treatments for neurological diseases and a better understanding of lifelong cognitive abilities.
- The existence of adult neurogenesis, as supported by recent studies like those published in Science (2025), Nature (2020), Neuropsychologia (2010), and Nature Reviews Neuroscience (2000), marks a turning point in the field of technology and healthcare, with far-reaching implications for human cognition and well-being in the future.
