Can the brain heal itself after damage?

As a neuroscientist with a focus on neurology and brain function, I can provide you with an informed perspective on the brain's capacity for self-repair following damage. The human brain has a remarkable ability to heal and regenerate to some extent after a traumatic injury. This process is known as neuroplasticity, which is the brain's ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections throughout life. It allows the brain to compensate for injury and disease and to adjust its functions. However, the extent of the brain's healing is dependent on several factors, including the severity and location of the injury, the individual's age, and the specific brain region affected. In some cases, the brain can form new brain cells, or neurons, which can take over the functions of damaged ones. This is more common in the early stages of development but becomes increasingly limited as one ages. It's important to note that while the brain can repair itself to a certain degree, the repair process is not as robust or rapid as needed to recover from certain degenerative conditions. For instance, diseases like motor neuron disease (MND), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease or ALS, involve the progressive loss of both upper and lower motor neurons. The brain's capacity to regenerate neurons does not keep pace with the rate of loss in these diseases, leading to a gradual decline in function. In summary, the brain does have some capacity to heal itself after damage, but this ability is limited and varies widely based on the type and extent of the injury or disease.

After a traumatic brain injury, it sometimes happens that the brain can repair itself, building new brain cells to replace damaged ones. But the repair doesn't happen quickly enough to allow recovery from degenerative conditions like motor neuron disease (also known as Lou Gehrig's disease or ALS).