Adult Neurogenesis and Drug Therapy

Current drug therapy strategies for the nervous system are based on the assumption that the adult central nervous system (CNS) lacks the capacity to make new nerve cells and regenerate after injury. Contrary to a long-held dogma, adult neurogenesis occurs in the adult brain and neural stem cells (NSCs) reside in the adult CNS. Neurogenesis in the adult brain is modulated in a broad range of environmental conditions, and physio- and pathological processes, as well as by trophic factors and drugs. This suggests that newborn neuronal cells of the adult brain may be involved in the functioning of the nervous system and may mediate a broad range of physio- and pathological processes, as well as the activities endogenous and exogenous factors and molecules. Hence, the confirmation that adult neurogenesis occurs in the adult brain and NSCs reside in the adult CNS force us to rethink how drugs are functioning and whether their activity may be mediated through adult neurogenesis. This will lead to the development and design of new strategies to treat neurological diseases and injuries, particularly drug therapy.