Plasticity following injury to the adult central nervous system: is recapitulation of a developmental state worth promoting?
The adult central nervous system (CNS) appears to initiate a transient increase in plasticity following injury, including increases in growth-related proteins and generation of new cells. Recent evidence is reviewed that the injured adult CNS exhibits events and patterns of gene expression that are also observed during development and during regeneration following damage to the mature peripheral nervous system (PNS). The growth of neurons during development or regeneration is correlated, in part, with a coordinated expression of growth-related proteins, such as growth-associated-protein-43 (GAP-43), microtubule-associated-protein-1B (MAP1B), and polysialylated-neural-cell-adhesion-molecule (PSA-NCAM). For each of these proteins, evidence is discussed regarding its specific role in neuronal development, signals that modify its expression, and reappearance following injury. The rate of adult hippocampal neurogenesis is also affected by numerous endogenous and exogenous factors including injury. The continuing study of developmental neurobiology will likely provide further gene and protein targets for increasing plasticity and regeneration in the mature adult CNS.
Emery
Dana L
DL
Head Injury Center, Department of Neurosurgery, University of Pennsylvania, USA.
Royo
Nicolas C
NC
Fischer
Itzhak
I
Saatman
Kathryn E
KE
McIntosh
Tracy K
TK
D000328:Adult; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000254:growth & development / Q000293:injuries* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D019922:GAP-43 Protein / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D039842:Neural Cell Adhesion Molecule L1 / Q000502:physiology*; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000502:physiology*; D012794:Sialic Acids / Q000502:physiology*
D019922:GAP-43 Protein; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins; D039842:Neural Cell Adhesion Molecule L1; D012794:Sialic Acids; C085284:microtubule-associated protein 1B; C103469:polysialyl neural cell adhesion molecule