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Science
Ashley Maynard, PhD Candidate in Quantitative Developmental Biology, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich

Axolotls can regenerate their brains – these adorable salamanders are helping unlock the mysteries of brain evolution and regeneration

Axolotls are a model organism researchers use to study a variety of topics in biology. Ruben Undheim/Flickr, CC BY-SA

The axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum) is an aquatic salamander renowned for its ability to regenerate its spinal cord, heart and limbs. These amphibians also readily make new neurons throughout their lives. In 1964, researchers observed that adult axolotls could regenerate parts of their brains, even if a large section was completely removed. But one study found that axolotl brain regeneration has a limited ability to rebuild original tissue structure.

So how perfectly can axolotl’s regenerate their brains after injury?

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