Researchers have learned that some nerves, even nerves in parts of the brain, can regenerate or be replaced, using stem cells. However, the pace of stem-cell repairs in humans is slow. And in some cases, they can even impede healing.

“We’re studying ways that this process is regulated to see if it can be manipulated to promote healing,” according to Dr. Philip Horner, an assistant professor in the Department of Neurosurgery in the University of Washington School of Medicine. “We’re looking at ways to get the axons out of the mud. One way is to make the mud less sticky by manipulating stem cells that participate in scar formation. Another is to stimulate the axons to push through the scar by providing the cut nerves with molecules that induce elongation. We’re using molecular signals called growth factors to simulate the growth of cultured nerve cells in the laboratory.”

University of Washington press release