Research Paper
A Theoretical Explanation on Neural Regeneration and the Science Behind the Brain’s Refusal to Heal
The Animal Kingdom consists of a variety of organisms that each have a unique regeneration process for organs and the function of the body. For instance, among vertebrates, the capacity of brain regeneration works on a whole new level than it does for mammals. An example of this vertebrate includes a Zebrafish, a teleost with a relatively simple neural system and structure, that can regenerate an extensive amount of its brain regions even after injury, including areas that are analogous to the mammalian forebrain. – In neuroscience, it is common to compare the analogous brain structures across different classes; so even though vertebrates and mammals are two different classes, the analogous forebrain regions may share development pathways. The neural stem cells multiply, damaged circuits are regenerated or reformed, and behavioural functions can possibly be restored. In contrast to this phenomenon, when an adult human brain is injured, suffers trauma or undergoes a stroke, it responds by protecting the damaged brain area by inflammation, gliosis or isolation, forming scar tissues, rather than processing regeneration – due to this, new neurotic signals are not formed, the broken connections between the damaged neurones are not repaired and the lost brain function is generally permanent. Additionally, even though the human brain is incapable of regenerating itself after injury, the genetic instructions needed to build brain tissues are still present in our DNA. This could mean that the ability of the brain to repair itself is not entirely missing – instead, the gene may be turned off or tightly controlled. When this process of regeneration is compared with species that are capable of doing this, it is evident that regeneration does not primarily focus upon having the right genes, but it is about how these genes are regulated in each species. In this paper, we explore the possibility of how the human brain may be deliberately limiting its own healing ability. This could be looked at as a protective strategy rather than a flaw, a strategy that aims to preserve complex functions – like memory, personality, and consciousness.
Published by: Angel Darshan Thakkar
Author: Angel Darshan Thakkar
Paper ID: V11I5-1158
Paper Status: published
Published: September 23, 2025
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