A new study examines the regenerative potential of the human brain in aging and neurological diseases, which could provide an alternative to conventional strategies for enhancing or restoring brain function. Recent single-cell transcriptomic studies in the adult human hippocampus yielded conflicting results, and the researchers found that the design, analysis, and interpretation of these studies in the adult human hippocampus can be confounded by specific issues that require particular attention and would greatly profit from an open discussion in the field.