De Novo Neurogenesis and Acute Stroke: Are Exogenous Stem Cells Really Necessary?

Recent studies documenting the phenomenon of de novo neurogenesis within the adult brain have propelled this area of research to the forefront of neuroscience investigations and stroke pathogenesis and treatment. Traditional theories have suggested that the central nervous system is incapable of neural regeneration; hence the emergence of the field of stem cell biology as a discipline devoted to uncovering novel forms of neural repair. However, several recent experimental observations have shown that the adult brain is capable of ongoing neurogenesis in discrete regions of the uninjured brain and additional forms of endogenous neural regeneration in the presence of an inciting event (induction neurogenesis). Induction neurogenesis has the potential for providing new insights into the cause and treatment of acute stroke syndromes.