Neural plasticity is the change in neurons’ structure, function, and organization in response to new experiences, responsible for learning, forming responses, and recovering from brain injuries. It involves physical, neurochemical, and metabolic changes, including strengthening or weakening of nerve connections and the addition or removal of nerve cells. Neural plasticity is essential for brain development, memory formation, and learning, and it is not limited to young individuals. Neural plasticity can also aid in the recovery of damaged parts of the nervous system. Medical intervention to guide the reorganization of neurons could potentially treat brain disorders and injuries.
Neural plasticity, also known as neuroplasticity and by a variety of other names, is the change in the structure, function and organization of neurons, or nerve cells, in response to new experiences. It specifically refers to the strengthening or weakening of nerve connections or the addition of new nerve cells based on external stimuli. These processes are responsible for learning, forming adequate responses to external events and, in some cases, recovering from brain injuries. Neural plasticity is among the most important aspects of the field of modern neuroscience and its study is leading, among other things, to a better understanding of brain development, learning and rehabilitation of patients with brain injuries.
mechanisms
Neurons consist of a cell body, with one or more branching structures known as dendrites, and a long, fiber-like extension known as an axon. Dendrites mainly receive signals from sensory organs and other neurons. The axon sends signals to the dendrites of nearby nerve cells through tiny gaps called synapses. Communication across these gaps is made possible by chemicals called neurotransmitters. There are three broad mechanisms by which neural plasticity can occur.
The anatomical changes involve physical changes to neurons, such as axonal sprouting, in which axons produce new nerve endings that connect to other pathways in the nervous system. This can strengthen existing connections or help repair parts of the nervous system by restoring damaged neural pathways to full function. Neurochemical changes can involve, for example, an increase or decrease in the production of neurotransmitters. The metabolic changes could result in fluctuations in the rate at which nutrients are consumed by parts of the brain.
Plasticity can also involve the removal of connections. Old neural pathways that haven’t been used for some time can die out. This process is known as synaptic pruning, and it removes neural connections that no longer serve any purpose, while strengthening the most useful ones.
Memory, development and learning
Neural plasticity is essential for brain development, memory formation, and the ability to learn from experience. The brain needs the ability to change and reorganize itself to store information and to arrive at the best responses to external events. Especially in the very first few years, this involves forming many new connections and paths. In a newborn, there are about 2,500 synapses for every neuron in the cerebral cortex, the outermost layer of the brain. During the first two or three years of life, this increases dramatically to around 15,000, but by adulthood the number has decreased to about half due to synaptic pruning, as unused pathways are removed.
Throughout life, the connections between signal-sending axons and receiving dendrites are strengthened and weakened. If a particular connection is used a lot, it will be hardened. Eventually the surface area of the dendrite will be increased or more neurotransmitters will be produced. Conversely, if a connection is not used much, it may be weakened. In this way, the most important paths are strengthened.
It was once believed that neural plasticity only exists in very young individuals and that once neural pathways are formed, they are set and cannot be changed. Modern brain studies, however, have revealed that nerves continually reorganize throughout life. This is what makes human beings able to adapt to a wide range of circumstances; the very physiology of the brain changes in response to experiences. New connections can form at any stage of life, parallel to the pruning of old and unused ones, allowing people to acquire knowledge and acquire new skills even in later life.
Damage recovery and medical applications
Because of nerve cells’ ability to restructure and reorganize themselves, damage to the brain or other aspects of the nervous system isn’t always permanent. Areas of healthy neurons can sometimes take over the functions of damaged parts. In this way, victims of brain injury or stroke have, in some cases, managed to recover at least part of the lost functionality.
As of 2013, a large amount of research is focusing on the use of neural plasticity for medical purposes. There are many different brain and nerve diseases that greatly impair the cognition, memory, mobility, or other faculties of those who suffer from them. The partial natural recoveries experienced by some stroke and brain injury victims could be extended and enhanced by medical intervention to guide the reorganization of neurons. Cerebral palsy and Alzheimer’s disease are examples of brain disorders that could potentially be treated through guided neural plasticity. One possible area for future development is the use of neural stem cells to generate new nerve cells and pathways, a technique that could lead to successful treatments for a variety of brain disorders and injuries.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
