What to know

• Researchers identified AHR protein as a brake on nerve regeneration that prioritizes stress management over axon repair in injured neurons.
• Blocking AHR in mouse models restored nerve growth and improved recovery of movement and sensation after nerve and spinal cord injury.
• The discovery reveals an unexpected dual role for AHR beyond environmental toxin sensing, with potential for drug-based therapeutic approaches using existing AHR inhibitors in clinical trials.

“When neurons are injured, they must deal with stress while also trying to regrow their axons. We discovered that AHR functions like a brake that shifts neurons toward managing stress rather than rebuilding damaged connections.”

Hongyan Zou, Study senior author, Mount Sinai · Science Daily

Hongyan Zou Professor of Neurosurgery and Neuroscience at Mount Sinai; study senior authorIcahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Research institution