Adult Neuroplasticity: More Than 40 Years of Research

• Published in: Journal of neural transplantation & plasticity Vol. 2014; no. 2014; pp. 440 - 449
• Main Authors: Fuchs, Eberhard, Flügge, Gabriele
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cairo, Egypt Hindawi Limiteds 01.01.2014; Hindawi Publishing Corporation; John Wiley & Sons, Inc; Wiley
• Subjects: Adult; Animals; Apoptosis; Brain; Brain research; Cell Death - physiology; Chromatin - physiology; History, 20th Century; History, 21st Century; Humans; Hypotheses; Mammals; Mental depression; Morphology; Nervous system; Neurogenesis; Neurogenesis - physiology; Neurology - history; Neuronal Plasticity - physiology; Neurons; Neurons - physiology; Neurons - ultrastructure; Neuroplasticity; Review; Vertebrates - physiology
• ISSN: 0792-8483; 2090-5904; 1687-5443; 1687-5443
• DOI: 10.1155/2014/541870

Within the last four decades, our view of the mature vertebrate brain has changed significantly. Today it is generally accepted that the adult brain is far from being fixed. A number of factors such as stress, adrenal and gonadal hormones, neurotransmitters, growth factors, certain drugs, environmental stimulation, learning, and aging change neuronal structures and functions. The processes that these factors may induce are morphological alterations in brain areas, changes in neuron morphology, network alterations including changes in neuronal connectivity, the generation of new neurons (neurogenesis), and neurobiochemical changes. Here we review several aspects of neuroplasticity and discuss the functional implications of the neuroplastic capacities of the adult and differentiated brain with reference to the history of their discovery.