From Discovery to You: From finding adult stem cells to boosting brain function

Emeritus Professor Perry Bartlett firmly believes in the value of discovery science and has the evidence from his research to support this conviction. 

“You never really know where a discovery will take you. Fundamental discoveries usually lead to dramatic and beneficial outcomes when you follow them.” 

The Founding Director of UQ’s Queensland Brain Institute, Perry’s early research interests were piqued by findings that the developing brain contained stem cells that could produce the billions of neurons that comprise the adult brain. Perry set about testing the hypothesis that the adult brain may also include such cells. 

In 1992, his team discovered that there were indeed stem cells in the adult brain, and, in 2001, identified the stem cells in an article published on the front cover of Nature. The task was then to discover the role the production of new neurons in the adult brain may have on brain function. His team and other groups have subsequently shown that the production of neurons (neurogenesis) in the hippocampus is very important to learning and memory functions.

Perry’s team showed that neurogenesis slowed markedly with ageing, although the stem cells were still present. In 2012, his lab demonstrated that dormant stem cells in the hippocampus could be activated by exercise to produce new neurons in aged mice. This process was shown to be responsible for learning and memory improvements. By 2021, they had identified the mechanism by which exercise activates neurogenesis and reverses cognitive decline in ageing mice, paving the way for human studies. 

In 2024, following a longitudinal human study, Perry’s team, including Dr Daniel Blackmore and Professor Stephan Riek, published their findings that high-intensity interval training boosts cognition in healthy older adults for up to 5 years. This discovery may change the trajectory of ageing and keep people cognitively healthier for longer, reducing the enormous personal, economic and social costs associated with diseases like dementia.

The team continues interrogating the data to identify genetic factors that may regulate whether a person will or will not respond to exercise as an intervention. 

Meanwhile, Perry’s research has inspired other former members of his laboratory, such as Dr Tara Walker and Dr Odette Leiter, to investigate other factors that can replicate the rejuvenating effects of exercise on the brain, offering an alternative pathway to delay or prevent cognitive decline.