Harnessing neuroplasticity for clinical applications
Name
Cramer-2011-Harnessing neuroplasticity for clinical applications.pdf
Size
438.34 KB
Format
Adobe PDF
Checksum (MD5)
9a9cf37624d0c23f5d2aae1860253757
Author(s)
Cramer, Steven C.
Sur, Mriganka
Dobkin, Bruce H.
O’Brien, Charles
Sanger, Terence D.
Trojanowski, John Q.
Rumsey, Judith M.
Hicks, Ramona
Cameron, Judy
Chen, Daofen
Date Issued
June 2011
Journal
Brain
Publisher
Oxford University Press
Citation
Cramer, Steven C. et al. "Harnessing neuroplasticity for clinical applications." Brain 134, 6 (June 2011): 1591-1609
Version
Final published version
Abstract
Neuroplasticity can be defined as the ability of the nervous system to respond to intrinsic or extrinsic stimuli by reorganizing its structure, function and connections. Major advances in the understanding of neuroplasticity have to date yielded few established interventions. To advance the translation of neuroplasticity research towards clinical applications, the National Institutes of Health Blueprint for Neuroscience Research sponsored a workshop in 2009. Basic and clinical researchers in disciplines from central nervous system injury/stroke, mental/addictive disorders, paediatric/developmental disorders and neurodegeneration/ageing identified cardinal examples of neuroplasticity, underlying mechanisms, therapeutic implications and common denominators. Promising therapies that may enhance training-induced cognitive and motor learning, such as brain stimulation and neuropharmacological interventions, were identified, along with questions of how best to use this body of information to reduce human disability. Improved understanding of adaptive mechanisms at every level, from molecules to synapses, to networks, to behaviour, can be gained from iterative collaborations between basic and clinical researchers. Lessons can be gleaned from studying fields related to plasticity, such as development, critical periods, learning and response to disease. Improved means of assessing neuroplasticity in humans, including biomarkers for predicting and monitoring treatment response, are needed. Neuroplasticity occurs with many variations, in many forms, and in many contexts. However, common themes in plasticity that emerge across diverse central nervous system conditions include experience dependence, time sensitivity and the importance of motivation and attention. Integration of information across disciplines should enhance opportunities for the translation of neuroplasticity and circuit retraining research into effective clinical therapies. Keywords: neuroplasticity; retraining; therapeutics; clinical assessment
MIT Department
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences
Terms of Use
Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial License 2.5
Persistent DSpace Link
DOI of Published Version
https://doi.org/10.1093/brain/awr039
