Lab-grown brain-spinal cord shows 'irreversible' nerve damage may be reversed
Cambridge scientists have developed lab-grown brain and spinal cord organoids that demonstrate the potential for reversing previously irreversible nerve damage. Their research indicates that axons can regrow after injury up to a certain developmental stage, after which their regenerative ability declines. The team identified a drug, lynestrenol, that may enhance axon regrowth in damaged neurons, offering hope for future treatments.
- ▪Researchers created miniature brain and spinal cord circuits in the lab using organoids.
- ▪They found that axons could regrow after damage up to around day 150 of development.
- ▪The study identified lynestrenol as a candidate drug that significantly boosts axon regrowth.
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| Original publisher | University of Cambridge |
| Canonical URL | https://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/lab-grown-brain-spinal-cord-model-shows-irreversible-nerve-damage-may-be-reversed |
| Publication time | Fri, 29 May 2026 23:05:27 +0000 |
| Retrieval time | 2026-05-29T23:20:36.568Z |
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Cambridge scientists have grown miniature circuits in the lab that mimic how the brain and spinal cord connect up, which underlies our movements. They used this model to show how damage to these connections previously considered ‘irreversible’ could, in fact, be reversible. Our sophisticated organoid models help bridge the knowledge gap from animal models to what we see in patients. András Lakatos As we develop and grow from embryo to fetus to infant, our nerve cells (neurons) form connections, allowing information to be transmitted between the brain and the spinal cord. A key component of each neuron is the axon – the nerve fibre ‘cable’ that transmits information to other neurons to activate muscle contractions.
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