The developing human nervous system is capable of remarkable feats of regeneration. But we rapidly lose these abilities, and damage to our nerves or brain is permanent. Restoring our regenerative potential has long been a goal in neuroscience research. Now, a new study by researchers at the University of Cambridge has used tiny lab-grown brain circuits to show that the loss of regenerative capacity may be reversible.

The new study, published in Cell Reports, focused on the thin wires, called axons, that carry nerve signals to and from our brain. Our inability to repair these axons after development is one of the key factors that leads to irreversible nerve damage.

András Lakatos, a neuroscientist at the University of Cambridge, led the new study.