Neurogenesis in the adult brain: From bench to bedside?

Two regions of the mammalian brain maintain the capability to generate new neurons throughout lifetime: Neuronal stem- and precursor cells proliferate in the subgranulare zone (SGZ) of the dentate gyrus in the hippocampus and in the subventricular zone (SVZ) of the lateral ventricles to give rise to new neurons that are functionally integrated into the neural network. The functional relevance of adult neurogenesis under physiological conditions on one hand, and the newly discovered potentiality of cellular regeneration in the diseased brain on the other hand, arouse the interest of fundamental and clinical neuroscientists. There is growing evidence that impaired adult neurogenesis is linked to the etiology of neuropsychiatric disorders (such as depression or Alzheimer's disease), as well as that the neurogenic potential may be used for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases (such as Parkinson's disease or stroke). This review summarizes the neurobiological bases of adult neurogenesis in their relevance for the future trend of novel therapeutic strategies.