Rewiring the brain : mechanisms of neuronal regeneration

In the event of injury to the spinal cord, the axons connecting the brain to the spinal cord can be interrupted, leading to paralysis. In higher vertebrates, this paralysis is often permanent, as the axons are unable to regenerate. The mechanisms that prevent axon regeneration in the central nervous system are still poorly understood. Axons in the peripheral nervous system, on the other hand, can regenerate thanks to the reactivation of an embryonic growth program in the corresponding neurons. The conference presented progress in identifying the molecules involved in this program, which, if activated in central nervous system neurons, could stimulate axonal regeneration. Regeneration is also blocked by inhibitory factors, present in the environment of damaged axons, and which are being actively researched. Also discussed were recent findings suggesting that axonal guidance molecules that function during embryonic life could be reused to block axonal regeneration, offering interesting therapeutic prospects for stimulating repair.