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<front>
<journal-meta>
<journal-id journal-id-type="publisher-id">Front. Neurol.</journal-id>
<journal-title>Frontiers in Neurology</journal-title>
<abbrev-journal-title abbrev-type="pubmed">Front. Neurol.</abbrev-journal-title>
<issn pub-type="epub">1664-2295</issn>
<publisher>
<publisher-name>Frontiers Media S.A.</publisher-name>
</publisher>
</journal-meta>
<article-meta>
<article-id pub-id-type="doi">10.3389/fneur.2025.1541159</article-id>
<article-categories>
<subj-group subj-group-type="heading">
<subject>Neurology</subject>
<subj-group>
<subject>Editorial</subject>
</subj-group>
</subj-group>
</article-categories>
<title-group>
<article-title>Editorial: New advances in the field of nerve regeneration</article-title>
</title-group>
<contrib-group>
<contrib contrib-type="author">
<name><surname>Qiu</surname> <given-names>Ouwen</given-names></name>
<role content-type="https://credit.niso.org/contributor-roles/supervision/"/>
<role content-type="https://credit.niso.org/contributor-roles/writing-review-editing/"/>
</contrib>
<contrib contrib-type="author" corresp="yes">
<name><surname>Zhang</surname> <given-names>Wenchuan</given-names></name>
<xref ref-type="corresp" rid="c001"><sup>&#x0002A;</sup></xref>
<uri xlink:href="http://loop.frontiersin.org/people/1257929/overview"/>
<role content-type="https://credit.niso.org/contributor-roles/writing-original-draft/"/>
</contrib>
</contrib-group>
<aff><institution>Department of Neurosurgery, School of Medicine, Shanghai Ninth People&#x00027;s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University</institution>, <addr-line>Shanghai</addr-line>, <country>China</country></aff>
<author-notes>
<fn fn-type="edited-by"><p>Edited by: Kriszti&#x000E1;n Pajer, University of Szeged, Hungary</p></fn>
<fn fn-type="edited-by"><p>Reviewed by: Guicai Li, Nantong University, China</p></fn>
<corresp id="c001">&#x0002A;Correspondence: Wenchuan Zhang <email>zhangwench88&#x00040;hotmail.com</email></corresp>
</author-notes>
<pub-date pub-type="epub">
<day>05</day>
<month>02</month>
<year>2025</year>
</pub-date>
<pub-date pub-type="collection">
<year>2025</year>
</pub-date>
<volume>16</volume>
<elocation-id>1541159</elocation-id>
<history>
<date date-type="received">
<day>07</day>
<month>12</month>
<year>2024</year>
</date>
<date date-type="accepted">
<day>02</day>
<month>01</month>
<year>2025</year>
</date>
</history>
<permissions>
<copyright-statement>Copyright &#x000A9; 2025 Qiu and Zhang.</copyright-statement>
<copyright-year>2025</copyright-year>
<copyright-holder>Qiu and Zhang</copyright-holder>
<license xlink:href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"><p>This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.</p></license>
</permissions>
<related-article id="RA1" related-article-type="commentary-article" xlink:href="https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/57352/new-advances-in-the-field-of-nerve-regeneration" ext-link-type="uri">Editorial on the Research Topic <article-title>New advances in the field of nerve regeneration</article-title></related-article>
<kwd-group>
<kwd>nerve regeneration</kwd>
<kwd>peripheral nerve injury</kwd>
<kwd>diagnostic innovation</kwd>
<kwd>molecular mechanism</kwd>
<kwd>cellular mechanism</kwd>
</kwd-group>
<counts>
<fig-count count="0"/>
<table-count count="0"/>
<equation-count count="0"/>
<ref-count count="0"/>
<page-count count="2"/>
<word-count count="895"/>
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<custom-meta-wrap>
<custom-meta>
<meta-name>section-at-acceptance</meta-name>
<meta-value>Neuromuscular Disorders and Peripheral Neuropathies</meta-value>
</custom-meta>
</custom-meta-wrap>
</article-meta>
</front>
<body>
<p>Nerve regeneration remains a significant challenge in neurology and regenerative medicine, given the complexities of restoring both structural and functional recovery in injured nerve tissues. Recent advancements, spanning novel diagnostic tools, therapeutic strategies, and cellular-level insights, highlight a collective effort to address these challenges. This editorial synthesizes key findings from groundbreaking research published in the Research Topic, <italic>New Advances in the Field of Nerve Regeneration, Frontiers in Neurology</italic> (2023&#x02013;2024), emphasizing their impact on advancing the understanding and treatment of peripheral nerve disorders.</p>
<sec id="s1">
<title>Diagnostic innovations: from imaging to screening</title>
<p>Accurate diagnosis is foundational to effective treatment. <ext-link ext-link-type="uri" xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fneur.2024.1325464">Chen, Zou, et al.</ext-link> highlight the utility of B-mode ultrasound imaging in diagnosing carpal tunnel syndrome, with its ability to visualize structural changes such as nerve swelling and flattening, providing hand surgeons with a non-invasive auxiliary tool to enhance accuracy. Complementing this, <ext-link ext-link-type="uri" xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fneur.2023.1250808">Dong et al.</ext-link> explore advanced imaging modalities for peripheral nerve injury, emphasizing their potential to refine injury characterization. Meanwhile, <ext-link ext-link-type="uri" xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fneur.2024.1357476">Zhou et al.</ext-link> provide a large-scale analysis of spinal muscular atrophy carrier screening, emphasizing the significance of early identification in preventing genetic disorders.</p></sec>
<sec id="s2">
<title>Therapies for peripheral nerve injuries</title>
<p>Therapeutic interventions have seen notable progress, particularly in nerve regeneration. <ext-link ext-link-type="uri" xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fneur.2023.1285659">Liu Z. et al.</ext-link> investigate repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) for peripheral facial paralysis, demonstrating efficacy differences based on stimulation sites. <ext-link ext-link-type="uri" xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fneur.2024.1330224">Xu et al.</ext-link> review advancements in autologous peripheral nerve transplantation, underscoring strategies to optimize recovery, and also discusses emerging technologies, such as bioengineered grafts and nerve conduits, that enhance functional outcomes. Furthermore, <ext-link ext-link-type="uri" xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fneur.2023.1307883">Zou, Dong, et al.</ext-link> discuss techniques and graft materials for repairing peripheral nerve defects, and highlight the importance of combining advanced biomaterials with precise surgical approaches to improve functional recovery in patients with severe nerve injuries, offering insights into overcoming surgical challenges.</p></sec>
<sec id="s3">
<title>Cellular and molecular mechanisms in nerve regeneration</title>
<p>Understanding cellular interactions and molecular pathways is crucial for advancing nerve repair. <ext-link ext-link-type="uri" xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fneur.2024.1372168">Jiang et al.</ext-link> delve into the interplay between Schwann cells and the extracellular matrix, shedding light on their pivotal roles in regeneration. <ext-link ext-link-type="uri" xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fneur.2024.1340845">Zhang et al.</ext-link> explore kinase signaling in peripheral nerve repair, revealing therapeutic targets that may revolutionize regenerative strategies. <ext-link ext-link-type="uri" xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fneur.2024.1420402">Aisaiti et al.</ext-link> extend this perspective with a bibliometric analysis on mesenchymal stem cells, identifying trends and gaps in stem cell-based therapies for nerve repair.</p></sec>
<sec id="s4">
<title>Emerging concerns: nitrous oxide and cosmetic surgery</title>
<p>Unique challenges in peripheral neuropathy are also receiving attention. <ext-link ext-link-type="uri" xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fneur.2024.1381938">Zou, Yi, et al.</ext-link> review nitrous oxide-induced neuropathy, elucidating mechanisms and advocating for heightened awareness in clinical practice. Similarly, <ext-link ext-link-type="uri" xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fneur.2023.1258759">Chen, Li, et al.</ext-link> investigate nerve injuries post-cosmetic surgery, offering recommendations to minimize risks and improve outcomes.</p></sec>
<sec id="s5">
<title>Mapping the research landscape</title>
<p>Visualization studies provide a macroscopic view of research trends. <ext-link ext-link-type="uri" xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fneur.2024.1378689">Wang et al.</ext-link> analyze sciatic nerve injury treatment, identifying key research frontiers and facilitating targeted innovation. This aligns with efforts by <ext-link ext-link-type="uri" xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fneur.2023.1274384">Liu G. et al.</ext-link>, who propose a modified approach for lumbar interbody fusion, enhancing surgical outcomes for spinal conditions linked to nerve injuries.</p></sec>
<sec sec-type="conclusions" id="s6">
<title>Conclusion</title>
<p>The collective efforts highlighted in these studies underscore a vibrant era of progress in peripheral nerve research. From novel diagnostic tools and therapeutic approaches to deepening insights into molecular mechanisms, the field is advancing toward improved patient outcomes. As this body of work continues to grow, interdisciplinary collaboration will remain crucial to overcoming remaining challenges and translating these findings into clinical practice.</p></sec>
</body>
<back>
<sec sec-type="author-contributions" id="s7">
<title>Author contributions</title>
<p>OQ: Supervision, Writing &#x02013; review &#x00026; editing. WZ: Writing &#x02013; original draft.</p>
</sec>
<sec sec-type="COI-statement" id="conf1">
<title>Conflict of interest</title>
<p>The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.</p>
</sec>
<sec sec-type="disclaimer" id="s8">
<title>Publisher&#x00027;s note</title>
<p>All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article, or claim that may be made by its manufacturer, is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.</p>
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