Search results for "Neuroplasticity"

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (Val66Met) polymorphism does not influence recovery from a post-traumatic vegetative state: a blinded retrospective…

2012

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a neurotrophin that influences neuronal plasticity throughout life. Emergence from a vegetative state (VS) after a traumatic brain injury (TBI) implies that the brain undergoes plastic changes. A common polymorphism in the BDNF gene—BDNF Val66Met (referred to herein as BDNFMet)—impairs cognitive function in healthy subjects. The aim of this study was to determine whether the BDNFMet polymorphism plays a role in the recovery of consciousness and cognitive functions in patients in a VS after a TBI. Fifty-three patients in a VS 1 month after a TBI were included in the study and genotyped for the BDNFMet polymorphism. Scores of levels of cognitive fun…

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor correlates with functional and cognitive impairment in non-disabled older individuals.

2015

We used a complete battery of geriatric and psychometric tests to evaluate whether plasma-borne brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a master molecule in neuroplasticity, is associated with the severity of functional and cognitive impairment in non-disabled older individuals. There was a significant positive correlation between BDNF plasma concentrations and the Barthel index, a measurement of the ability of individuals to perform the activities of daily living (p=0.03) and the concentration subcategory measured with the mini mental state examination (MMSE) test (p = 0.01). Furthermore, plasma BDNF inversely and significantly correlated with the blood eosinophil count (p = 0.01), the t…

New scenarios for neuronal structural plasticity in non-neurogenic brain parenchyma: the case of cortical layer II immature neurons

2011

The mammalian central nervous system, due to its interaction with the environment, must be endowed with plasticity. Conversely, the nervous tissue must be substantially static to ensure connectional invariability. Structural plasticity can be viewed as a compromise between these requirements. In adult mammals, brain structural plasticity is strongly reduced with respect to other animal groups in the phylogenetic tree. It persists under different forms, which mainly consist of remodeling of neuronal shape and connectivity, and, to a lesser extent, the production of new neurons. Adult neurogenesis is mainly restricted within two neurogenic niches, yet some gliogenic and neurogenic processes a…

Larval zebrafish proteome regulation in response to an environmental challenge

2019

Adaptation to the environment during development influences the life-long survival of an animal. While brain-wide proteomic changes are expected to underlie such experience-driven physiological and behavioral flexibility, a comprehensive overview of the nature and extent of the proteomic regulation following an environmental challenge during development is currently lacking. In this study, the brain proteome of larval zebrafish is identified and it is determined how it is altered by an exposure to a natural and physical environmental challenge, namely prolonged exposure to strong water currents. A comprehensive larval zebrafish brain proteome is presented here. Furthermore, 57 proteins that…

Acetaldehyde, motivation and stress: Behavioral evidence of an addictive ménage à trois

2017

Acetaldehyde contributes to alcohol’s psychoactive effects through its own rewarding properties. Recent studies shed light on the behavioral correlates of acetaldehyde administration and the possible interactions with key neurotransmitters for motivation, reward and stress-related response, such as dopamine and endocannabinoids. This mini review critically examines acetaldehyde psychoactive properties, focusing on behavioral investigations able to unveil acetaldehyde motivational effects and their pharmacological modulation in vivo. Similarly to alcohol, rats spontaneously drink acetaldehyde, whose presence is detected in the brain following chronic self-administration paradigm. Acetaldehyd…

Evidence of neuroplasticity in the human visual cortex following beneficial anti-VEGF treatment in exudative age-related macular degeneration

2012

Purpose Anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) agents have been shown to improve visual acuity and prevent vision loss in exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD). As the vision improves relatively quickly in response to intravitreal injections, we wanted to know whether this improvement is reflected in electrophysiolocal markers of visual cortical processing. Methods Our interventional case series included 6 elderly patients who underwent injection treatment to the affected eye. Their visual acuity, tomographic images of retinal thickness and visual evoked potentials (VEP) were assessed before of the treatment and six weeks after the last injection. Results All patients sho…

Transcranial magnetic stimulation and neuroplasticity

1998

We review past results and present novel data to illustrate different ways in which TMS can be used to study neural plasticity. Procedural learning during the serial reaction time task (SRTT) is used as a model of neural plasticity to illustrate the applications of TMS. These different applications of TMS represent principles of use that we believe are applicable to studies of cognitive neuroscience in general and exemplify the great potential of TMS in the study of brain and behavior. We review the use of TMS for (1) cortical output mapping using focal, single-pulse TMS; (2) identification of the mechanisms underlying neuroplasticity using paired-pulse TMS techniques; (3) enhancement of th…

2018

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive brain stimulation technique that allows the modulation of cortical excitability as well as neuroplastic reorganization using a weak constant current applied through the skull on the cerebral cortex. TDCS has been found to improve motor performance in general and motor learning in particular. However, these effects have been reported almost exclusively for unimanual motor tasks such as serial reaction time tasks, adaptation tasks, or visuo-motor tracking. Despite the importance of bimanual actions in most activities of daily living, only few studies have investigated the effects of tDCS on bimanual motor skills. The objectives …

Three Effective Ways to Nurture Our Brain

2017

Abstract. A growing body of research suggests that physical activity, healthy eating, and music can, either directly or indirectly, have positive effects on our brain and cognition. More specifically, exercising and eating seem to enhance cognitive abilities, such as memory, creativity, and perception. They also improve academic performance and play a protective role from many degenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease. Concerning music, research has shown that there exists a general positive relation between music aptitude and cognitive functioning. Furthermore, the presence of music seems to create a positive mood and a higher arousal, which translates into better performance i…

Tinnitus: a vision for research

2009

Tinnitus is classically defined as the perception of sound that has no external source. It was assumed to be primarily a disorder of the ear and has been linked to mechanisms equivalent to phantom pain; a pain sensation located to a no longer existing part of the body. Phantom pain is closely correlated with a cortical plasticity and with a reorganization of the somatosensory cortex. The end result is an alteration of neuronal activity, leading to tinnitus. Over the past decade, however, research on brain mechanisms of tinnitus has progressed rapidly, and insights have emerged into the possible neurological origins of tinnitus without any auditory dysfunction. Identification of the neurosci…