The History of Discovery of Adult Neurogenesis

The scientific community's understanding of neuronal plasticity has evolved considerably over recent decades, thanks largely to Josef Altman. Altman's findings laid the groundwork for an entire subfield of neuroscience research dedicated to exploring the potential of the adult brain to create new neurons, which until then had been considered impossible. From the formative years of this field until the 1990s, when adult neurogenesis was finally accepted as a legitimate topic of study, Altman's work was followed by a series of pivotal discoveries by a handful of other dedicated neuroscientists such as Shirley Bayer, Michael Kaplan, and Fernando Nottebohm. In any sphere of activity, some wish to maintain the status quo when change occurs; science is no different. For many years, influential figures in neuroscience dismissed and marginalized the concept of adult neurogenesis, sometimes going so far as to censor the studies and launch personal attacks against their proponents. Nevertheless, despite obstacles to their research, these scientists persisted and built upon one another's work. During the 1970s, Kaplan confirmed neurogenesis in the adult mammalian neocortex and also performed some of the first neurogenesis studies on primates. During the 1980s, Nottebohm drew on his fascination with the songs of canaries and finches to show that neurogenesis happens on a grand scale in the avian brain as well, regardless of age. Today, more than half a century after Altman's discovery, the adult neurogenesis field is growing rapidly and new research is realizing its potential to revolutionize treatment for neurodegenerative disorders and brain injuries. Clin. Anat. 32:41-55, 2019. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.