Postnatal neurogenesis in the human brain

Abstract

Recently, a lot of data has been gathered which demonstrates neurogenesis in the brain of adult humans. In genetics, findings have been obtained that not only prove, but also elucidate the molecular mechanisms of neurogenesis. In some publications, however, morphology disputes neuronal renewal in adulthood. Therefore, this review presents the modern achievements of epigenetics, morphology, and physiology, which confirm and characterize postnatal neurogenesis in detail. We suggest that the introduction of molecular genetic technologies into morphological studies will be the starting point for the integration of these areas, complementing each other for the introduction of targeted therapy in clinical practice. Numerous evidence has been obtained of the presence of postnatal neurogenesis in adult humans in studies using bromodeoxyuridine, a carbon isotope of 14C, and 3H-thymidine, in comparative analyses of experimental data from animals. Neuronal stem cells, represented by radial glia present in the subventricular and subgranular zones of the human brain, are morphologically similar to neuroepithelial cells. They express marker proteins for astrocytes, which suggests that the proliferation of neuroglia found in adults can also indicate the regeneration of neurons. To prove this, further studies are required, with the exact identification of newly-formed cells, using specific molecular markers, and data from modern epigenetics. The integration of molecular genetic methods into morphology will facilitate not only the accurate determination of the classification of cells to a specific subpopulation but also to study the effects of various agents on the proliferation of neurons in the adult brain.