The interplay of neurovasculature and adult hippocampal neurogenesis

•Neurotrophic factors and growth factors enhance adult hippocampal neurogenesis.•VEGF couples angiogenesis and adult hippocampal neurogenesis.•PV/nNOS interneurons induces functional hyperemia through nitric oxide signaling.•Functional hyperemia enhances adult hippocampal neurogenesis.•Neurovascular dysfunction is indicated in Alzheimer’s disease. The subgranular zone of the dentate gyrus provides a local microenvironment (niche) for neural stem cells. In the adult brain, it has been established that the vascular compartment of such niches has a significant role in regulating adult hippocampal neurogenesis. More recently, evidence showed that neurovascular coupling, the relationship between blood flow and neuronal activity, also regulates hippocampal neurogenesis. Here, we review the most recent articles on addressing the intricate relationship between neurovasculature and adult hippocampal neurogenesis and a novel pathway where functional hyperemia enhances hippocampal neurogenesis. In the end, we have further reviewed recent research showing that impaired neurovascular coupling may cause declined neurogenesis and contribute to brain damage in neurodegenerative diseases.