title: Structural brain plasticity in adult learning and development.
abstract: Recent research using magnetic resonance imaging has documented changes in the adult human brain's grey matter structure induced by alterations in experiential demands. We review this research and relate it to models of brain plasticity from related strands of research, such as work on animal models. This allows us to generate recommendations and predictions for future research that may advance the understanding of the function, sequential progression, and microstructural nature of experience-dependent changes in regional brain volumes. Informed by recent evidence on adult age differences in structural brain plasticity, we show how understanding learning-related changes in human brain structure can expand our knowledge about adult development and aging. We hope that this review will promote research on the mechanisms regulating experience-dependent structural plasticity of the adult human brain.
authors: Aging Research Center, Karolinska Institutet & Stockholm University, Gävlegatan 16, 113 30 Stockholm, Sweden; Center for Lifespan Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Lentzeallee 94, 14195 Berlin, Germany. Electronic address: Martin.Lovden@ki.se.
authors: Martin
authors: M
authors: Lövdén
authors: Elisabeth
authors: E
authors: Wenger
authors: Johan
authors: J
authors: Mårtensson
authors: Ulman
authors: U
authors: Lindenberger
authors: Lars
authors: L
authors: Bäckman
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging; D001921:Brain / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: Aging; Brain volume; Experience-dependent plasticity; Learning; Neuroplasticity; Structural brain changes; Structural brain plasticity