title: Functional and structural plasticity in motor cortex: implications for stroke recovery.
abstract: Several studies have now demonstrated that the motor cortical representations are dynamically maintained in both normal and brain-injured animals. Functional plasticity in the motor cortex of normal animals is accompanied by changes in synaptic morphology; these changes are skill-dependent rather than simply use-dependent. Finally, motor cortical areas undergo substantial functional alterations after focal ischemic infarcts; motor experience is a potent and adaptive modulator of injury-related plasticity. These recent neuroscientific advances set the stage for the development of new, more effective interventions in chronic stroke populations that are based on the basic mechanisms underlying neuroplasticity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology and Center on Aging, Kansas University Medical Center, 3901 Rainbow Boulevard, Kansas City, Kansas 66160, USA. mudo@kumc.edu
authors.forename: Randolph J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Nudo
mesh_terms: D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009044:Motor Cortex / Q000098:blood supply / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000502:physiology*; D020127:Recovery of Function; D013003:Somatosensory Cortex / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D013997:Time Factors