Plasticity and the functional reorganization of the human brain

Stroke is a leading cause of long-term disability in adults worldwide. The mechanisms of impairment and recovery are not well understood, but there is growing interest in the role that central nervous system reorganization might play. Functional magnetic resonance imaging and transcranial magnetic stimulation allow the non-invasive study of the working human brain, and studies in humans suggest that functionally relevant adaptive changes occur in cerebral networks following stroke. An understanding of how these changes influence the recovery process will facilitate the development of novel therapeutic techniques that are based on neurobiological principles and which are designed to minimise impairment in appropriately targeted patients suffering from stroke.