Boosting Neurogenesis in the Adult Hippocampus Using Antidepressants and Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Abstract

The hippocampus is one of the few privileged regions (neural stem cell niche) of the brain, where neural stem cells differentiate into new neurons throughout adulthood. However, dysregulation of hippocampal neurogenesis with aging, injury, depression and neurodegenerative disease leads to debilitating cognitive impacts. These debilitating symptoms deteriorate the quality of life in the afflicted individuals. Impaired hippocampal neurogenesis is especially difficult to rescue with increasing age and neurodegeneration. However, the potential to boost endogenous Wnt signaling by influencing pathway modulators such as receptors, agonists, and antagonists through drug and cell therapy-based interventions offers hope. Restoration and augmentation of hampered Wnt signaling to facilitate increased hippocampal neurogenesis would serve as an endogenous repair mechanism and contribute to hippocampal structural and functional plasticity. This review focuses on the possible interaction between neurogenesis and Wnt signaling under the control of antidepressants and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to overcome debilitating symptoms caused by age, diseases, or environmental factors such as stress. It will also address some current limitations hindering the direct extrapolation of research from animal models to human application, and the technical challenges associated with the MSCs and their cellular products as potential therapeutic solutions.