Adult Mammalian Neurogenesis: Hopes and Challenges in the Repair of Spinal Cord Injury

Abstract Throughout the life cycle of mammals, the subgranular area of the hippocampal dentate gyrus, the subventricular area of the lateral ventricle and the subcentral canal of the medullary crest produce new neurons continuously. The researchers used active biomaterial scaffolds to improve the local microenvironment in adult central nervous system, to activate endogenous neurogenesis, to reconstruct functional neural networks, and ultimately to improve limb dysfunction. This review focuses on the concept of the adult endogenous neurogenesis, the activation of endogenous neurogenesis to repair traumatic brain injury and spinal cord injury, and the formation of the endogenous incubation theory in adult mammals, the current controversy on the existence of human neurogenesis and analysis of the main reasons for such controversy. The challenges of eventual clinical transformation.