Neurogenesis is the remarkable process by which the adult brain generates new neurons. It stands as a profound symbol of the brain’s capacity for renewal and growth. For much of the twentieth century, neuroscientists believed the adult brain was structurally fixed, a view famously championed by Santiago Ramón y Cajal, who in 1913 asserted that “everything may die, nothing may be regenerated,” yet this dogma began to crumble when Joseph Altman (1962) provided autoradiographic evidence of adult neurogenesis in the rat hippocampus, a centre for memory and learning.
The belief in neural renewal was later decisively advanced by Fernando Nottebohm (1983) in songbirds and by Peter S. Eriksson and colleagues (1998), who demonstrated new neuron formation in the adult human hippocampus, particularly in the dentate gyrus, a region critical for learning, memory consolidation, and mood regulation, thereby reshaping neuroscience’s understanding of plasticity across the lifespan. Subsequent work, including that of Elizabeth Gould in the 1990s, further linked stress and environmental enrichment to modulation of hippocampal neurogenesis, underscoring how experience, exercise, and social context biologically sculpt the adult brain.
From a Christian perspective, the discovery that the adult brain can generate new neurons resonates deeply with biblical themes of renewal and transformation (“Be transformed by the renewing of your mind,” Romans 12:2; and, “Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day,” 2 Corinthians 4:16), suggesting that the Creator’s design includes not only spiritual regeneration but also a remarkable biological capacity for growth and restoration embedded within human nature. Theologically, this affirms the doctrine of imago Dei (Genesis 1:27) by highlighting humanity’s dynamic potential for learning, moral formation, and relational repair across the lifespan. Neural renewal is optimised when born again individuals choose to listen to and obey Jesus daily. Those who are led by the Spirit of God, Who dwells within the body and brain of believers, will experience ongoing renewal of the mind.
Practically, the science of adult neurogenesis carries profound implications for personal wellbeing, and has reshaped our understanding of human potential, supporting interventions such as physical activity, cognitive challenge, stress reduction, and community engagement to enhance hippocampal function and resilience against anxiety and depression. Neurogenesis also offers hope for treating conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease, and the cognitive decline of aging. Beyond medical breakthroughs, neurogenesis reveals the brain’s innate resilience, showing that lifestyle choices like exercise, learning, and walking with God can literally rewire and revitalise the mind.
This work also carries implications for societal health, informing educational policy, mental health treatment, aging populations, and restorative justice models that recognise enduring human capacity for change. Our developing understanding of neurogenesis underscores the transformative power of nurturing brain health, not only to combat disease but to cultivate sharper minds, stronger emotional wellbeing, and richer lives filled with creativity and possibility.