Neuroplasticity

Neuroplasticity

By Dr. Megan Jorgensen

In line with the notion that the neurotransmitter dopamine elicits learning by its influence on neuroplasticity, Monte-Silva and colleagues (2011) found that D2 receptor blockade prevents theta burst stimulation-induced neuroplasticity in the motor cortex. Dopamine has a total of five types of receptors: D1, D2, D3, D4 and D5.

Hoenig and coauthors (2011) confirm that experience dependent plasticity is seen in musicians by profession. Following repeated musical practice and exposure, professional musicians brains literally change, particularly in perceptual and motor areas. According to their study, the cortical alterations extend further, encompassing regions deemed to process higher level associations, mainly by linking, in musicians but not non-musicians, perception and conceptual representation of auditory stimuli.

Cortex plasticity seems to depend on several factors. For example, Seredynski et al. (2011) studied the subject by focusing on the Japanese quail. The authors found a relationship between estrogen (female hormone) receptors and neuroplasticity. Another study, conducted by Spingath et al. (2011), portrays an alternative way of approaching the topic. For instance, these researchers found that in macaques, neuroplasticity in uncomplicated spatial tasks was the result of selective suppression and non-selective response enhancement.

A few words about the present Website:

Information on animation can be found in the animation section, otherwise the site is about neuroscience. Neuroscientists study the nervous system.

The central nervous system (CNS) is composed of the brain and spinal cord. The peripheral nervous system (PNS) contains the autonomic and somatic subdivisions. Finally, the autonomic nervous system (ANS) encompasses the sympathetic and parasympathetic subsystems.

Smiles. Generic smilies or smilys, whichever one prefers. Of course, one is allowed to draw generic smiling faces, but this particular image above: Copyright © Elena

References:

• Hoenig, K., Muller, C., Herrnberger, B., Sim, EJ., Spitzer, M., Ehret, G. & Kiefer, M. (2011). Neuroplasticity of semantic representations for musical instruments in professional musicians. NeuroImage, 56: 1714-25.
• Monte-Silva, K., Ruge, D., Teo, J. T., Paulus, W., Rothwell, J. C. & Nietsche, M. (2011). D2 receptor block abolishes theta burst stimulation-induced neuroplasticity in the human motor cortex. Neuropsychopharmacology: 1-6.
• Seredynski, A. L., Ball, G. F., Balthazart, J. & Charlier, T. D. (2011). Specific activation of estrogen receptor Alpha and Beta enhances male sexual behavior and neuroplasticity in male Japanese quail. PLoS ONE, 6 (4): e18627.
• Spingath, E. Y., Kang, H. S., Plummer, T. & Blake, D. T. (2011). Different neuroplasticity for task targets and distractors. PLoS ONE, 6 (1): e15342.

Copyright © 2015. Elena All rights reserved.