Research on cancer, stroke, and brain injuries has shed light on the brain’s ability to restructure in response to damage. Slowly progressing damage, like in brain cancers, allows for the creation of new functional networks to maintain capabilities. On the other hand, fast damage, as seen in strokes, leads to loss of capabilities. Some researchers believe that with advanced tissue engineering technology, it may be possible to replace aged and damaged brain tissue gradually.
Jean Hébert’s work focuses on the neocortex, the brain’s outer part responsible for senses, reasoning, and memory. He believes the neocortex can be slowly replaced based on evidence from rare cases of benign brain tumors and experiments with fetal-stage cells transplanted into adult brains. Hébert aims to manufacture neocortical tissue “facsimiles” using stem cells derived from brain tissues of aborted human fetuses 5 to 8 weeks old. Hébert’s proposed $110 million project to prove his ideas has received a positive response from the US government.
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