Revolutionising Neuroscience

What if brain cells could still be created at an old age? What if neurogenesis did not stop after adolescence?

Sir Richard Faull, a New Zealand-born neuroscientist, did not just ask these questions – he answered them through revolutionary research. From humble beginnings to groundbreaking discoveries, Faull’s life epitomizes change, influence, and innovation.

Born on the 21^st of October 1945, Faull spent most of his childhood on a small farm in Taranaki. There, his parents ran a general store, emphasizing the value of helping others. Combined with his natural curiosity, this led him down a path in medicine and science. He attended the University of Otago where he earned a Bachelor of Science in 1967 and a Bachelor of Medicine in 1970. Fascinated by the complexity and beauty of the human brain, Faull initially chose a path down neurosurgery, taking a year out of medical school to research the basal ganglia. However, after finding out how little was known about the brain, he changed to brain research, completing a PhD in neuroanatomy in 1975.

After his education, Faull focused on research into Huntington’s Disease, a genetic disorder affecting the basal ganglia. Patients with Huntington’s had a significant loss of neurons in this area of the brain, particularly in the striatum, leading to atrophy and progressive neurodegeneration in motor control, cognitive function, and emotional regulation.

This was pivotal for brain research, allowing Faull and his team to make links between specific changes in the brain to lived experience. It was through these findings that, in the early 2000s, Faull and his team discovered neurogenesis in adults. This discovery was groundbreaking. It proved that neural stem cells were still active in the adult brain. Furthermore, healthy older brains, such as those from people in their sixties and seventies, also showed signs of neurogenesis. This meant that the brain was plastic – capable of change and growth through life.

There are many implications of this discovery, influencing the patterns of everyday life. It showed that environmental factors, such as mental stimulation, exercise, social interaction, and brain-training games could enhance neurogenesis. Conversely, mental stress, chronic fatigue, and sleep deprivation diminish neurogenesis, inhibiting the production of new brain cells.

As a result of this discovery, in 2005, Faull was awarded the Health Research Council of New Zealand’s Liley Medal and appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to medical research. Later, in 2007, he was given the Rutherford Medal by the Royal Society of New Zealand and, in 2017, he was appointed a Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to medical research.

Sir Richard Faull’s contributions to neuroscience have been nothing short of revolutionary. Through his establishment of the Neurological Foundation Human Brain Bank, he not only advanced scientific research but connected medical research and personal stories. Through his discovery of neurogenesis in adults, he challenged traditional ideas in neuroscience, opening new doors for treatments and recovery. At the heart of all of this, however, is the underlying value of helping others – a value that has stuck with him since childhood. It is through this that Sir Richard Faull has left a lasting impact on both neuroscience and the lives of many individuals.

In 2025, Our Health Journeys continued our partnership with Saint Kentigern College in Auckland to challenge a number of students to conduct research into an aspect of the medical history of Aotearoa New Zealand. The students, ranging from Years 8-13, produced their research in written, oral, or video format and the top projects were chosen for publication to Our Health Journeys.