Activity-dependent plasticity is a form of functional and structural neuroplasticity that arises from the use of cognitive functions and personal experience;[1] hence, it is the biological basis for learning and the formation of new memories.[1][2] Activity-dependent plasticity is a form of neuroplasticity that arises from intrinsic or endogenous activity, as opposed to forms of neuroplasticity that arise from extrinsic or exogenous factors, such as electrical brain stimulation- or drug-induced neuroplasticity.[1] The brain's ability to remodel itself forms the basis of the brain's capacity to retain memories, improve motor function, and enhance comprehension and speech amongst other things. It is this trait to retain and form memories that is associated with neural plasticity and therefore many of the functions individuals perform on a daily basis.[3] This plasticity occurs as a result of changes in gene expression which are triggered by signaling cascades that are activated by various signaling molecules (e.g., calcium, dopamine, and glutamate, among many others) during increased neuronal activity.[4]
The brain's ability to adapt toward active functions allows humans to specialize in specific processes based on relative use and activity. For example, a right-handed person may perform any movement poorly with their left hand but continuous practice with the non-dominant hand can cause one to become ambidextrous. Another example is if someone was born with a neurological disorder such as autism or had a stroke that resulted in a disorder, then they are capable of retrieving much of their lost function through practice, which in turn "rewires" the brain to mitigate neurological dysfunction.[5]
- ^ a b c Ganguly K, Poo MM (October 2013). "Activity-dependent neural plasticity from bench to bedside". Neuron. 80 (3): 729–741. doi:10.1016/j.neuron.2013.10.028. PMID 24183023.
Much progress has been made in understanding how behavioral experience and neural activity can modify the structure and function of neural circuits during development and in the adult brain. Studies of physiological and molecular mechanisms underlying activity-dependent plasticity in animal models have suggested potential therapeutic approaches for a wide range of brain disorders in humans. Physiological and electrical stimulations as well as plasticity-modifying molecular agents may facilitate functional recovery by selectively enhancing existing neural circuits or promoting the formation of new functional circuits. ... Neural plasticity can be broadly defined as the ability of the nervous system to adopt a new functional or structural state in response to extrinsic and intrinsic factors. Such plasticity is essential for the development of the nervous system and normal functioning of the adult brain. Neural plasticity can manifest at the macroscale as changes in the spatiotemporal pattern of activation of different brain regions, at the mesoscale as alterations of long-range and local connections among distinct neuronal types, and at the microscale as modifications of neurons and synapses at the cellular and subcellular levels. Maladaptive neural plasticity may account for many developmental, acquired, and neurodegenerative brain disorders.
- ^ Keller TA, Just MA (January 2016). "Structural and functional neuroplasticity in human learning of spatial routes". NeuroImage. 125: 256–266. doi:10.1016/j.neuroimage.2015.10.015. PMID 26477660. S2CID 2784354.
Recent findings with both animals and humans suggest that decreases in microscopic movements of water in the hippocampus reflect short-term neuroplasticity resulting from learning. Here we examine whether such neuroplastic structural changes concurrently alter the functional connectivity between hippocampus and other regions involved in learning. ... These concurrent changes characterize the multidimensionality of neuroplasticity as it enables human spatial learning.
- ^ Bruel-Jungerman E, Davis S, Laroche S (October 2007). "Brain plasticity mechanisms and memory: a party of four". Neuroscientist. 13 (5): 492–505. doi:10.1177/1073858407302725. PMID 17901258. S2CID 2203266.
A defining characteristic of the brain is its remarkable capacity to undergo activity-dependent functional and morphological remodeling via mechanisms of plasticity that form the basis of our capacity to encode and retain memories. Today, it is generally accepted that the neurobiological substrate of memories resides in activity-driven modifications of synaptic strength and structural remodeling of neural networks activated during learning.
- ^ Flavell SW, Greenberg ME (2008). "Signaling mechanisms linking neuronal activity to gene expression and plasticity of the nervous system". Annu. Rev. Neurosci. 31: 563–90. doi:10.1146/annurev.neuro.31.060407.125631. PMC 2728073. PMID 18558867.
- ^ Doidge, Norman (2007). The Brain That Changes Itself: Stories of personal triumph from the frontiers of brain science. New York: Penguin Group. ISBN 978-0-14-311310-2.