title: Neural Plasticity in Multiple Sclerosis: The Functional and Molecular Background.
abstract: Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune neurodegenerative disorder resulting in motor dysfunction and cognitive decline. The inflammatory and neurodegenerative changes seen in the brains of MS patients lead to progressive disability and increasing brain atrophy. The most common type of MS is characterized by episodes of clinical exacerbations and remissions. This suggests the presence of compensating mechanisms for accumulating damage. Apart from the widely known repair mechanisms like remyelination, another important phenomenon is neuronal plasticity. Initially, neuroplasticity was connected with the developmental stages of life; however, there is now growing evidence confirming that structural and functional reorganization occurs throughout our lifetime. Several functional studies, utilizing such techniques as fMRI, TBS, or MRS, have provided valuable data about the presence of neuronal plasticity in MS patients. CNS ability to compensate for neuronal damage is most evident in RR-MS; however it has been shown that brain plasticity is also preserved in patients with substantial brain damage. Regardless of the numerous studies, the molecular background of neuronal plasticity in MS is still not well understood. Several factors, like IL-1β, BDNF, PDGF, or CB1Rs, have been implicated in functional recovery from the acute phase of MS and are thus considered as potential therapeutic targets.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology and Stroke, Medical University of Lodz, Zeromskiego Street 113, 90-549 Lodz, Poland.
authors.forename: Dominika Justyna
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Ksiazek-Winiarek
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology and Stroke, Medical University of Lodz, Zeromskiego Street 113, 90-549 Lodz, Poland.
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Szpakowski
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology and Stroke, Medical University of Lodz, Zeromskiego Street 113, 90-549 Lodz, Poland.
authors.forename: Andrzej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Glabinski
mesh_terms: D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000378:metabolism; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000378:metabolism; D010982:Platelet-Derived Growth Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D043884:Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1 / Q000378:metabolism; D020127:Recovery of Function
chemical_list: D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D010982:Platelet-Derived Growth Factor; D043884:Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1; C075222:amyloid beta-protein (1-42)