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Related Concept Videos

Neuroplasticity01:01

Neuroplasticity

Neuroplasticity reflects the brain's remarkable capacity to adapt and evolve, responding dynamically to learning, experiences, or injury by reorganizing its neural circuitry. This reorganization involves creating new neural connections and refining old ones through a series of biological processes that contribute to the brain's lifelong development and adaptability.
Plasticity00:58

Plasticity

Plasticity is the property where an object loses its elasticity and undergoes irreversible deformation, even after the deformation forces are eliminated. If a material deforms irreversibly without increasing stress or load, then this is called ideal plasticity. For example, when a force is applied to an aluminum rod, it changes its shape, but it does not return to its original shape once the force is removed. Plastic deformation or ductility is thus a permanent deformation or change in the...
Motor and Sensory Areas of the Cortex01:14

Motor and Sensory Areas of the Cortex

The cerebral cortex, the brain's outermost layer, is pivotal in processing complex cognitive tasks, emotions, and various sensory inputs and executing voluntary motor activities. This intricate structure is divided into three primary functional areas: the motor areas, sensory areas, and association areas.
Motor Areas
The motor areas located in the frontal lobe are central to controlling voluntary movements. This region is further subdivided into the primary motor cortex and the premotor cortex.
Association Areas of the Cortex01:21

Association Areas of the Cortex

Association areas are regions of the cerebral cortex that do not have a specific sensory or motor function. Instead, they integrate and interpret information from various sources to enable higher cognitive processes such as memory, learning, and decision-making. Some key association areas include the following:
Prefrontal Association Area: This area is located in the frontal lobe and is involved in planning, decision-making, and moderating social behavior. It connects with primary motor areas,...
Higher Mental Functions of Brain: Learning and Memory01:26

Higher Mental Functions of Brain: Learning and Memory

Memory is one of the most vital higher mental functions of the brain. Memory is closely related to learning because it enables us to retain information and experiences from our past to use them in our present life. It also helps us to remember facts, events, and skills, such as riding a bike or swimming. There are two types of memory — declarative memory, which involves memorizing facts or events, and procedural memory, which enables us to remember how to do something like writing or playing an...
Somatosensation01:33

Somatosensation

The somatosensory system relays sensory information from the skin, mucous membranes, limbs, and joints. Somatosensation is more familiarly known as the sense of touch. A typical somatosensory pathway includes three types of long neurons: primary, secondary, and tertiary. Primary neurons have cell bodies located near the spinal cord in groups of neurons called dorsal root ganglia. The sensory neurons of ganglia innervate designated areas of skin called dermatomes.

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Slice Patch Clamp Technique for Analyzing Learning-Induced Plasticity
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Cortical plasticity associated with Braille learning.

R H Hamilton1, A Pascual-Leone

  • 1Laboratory for Magnetic Brain Stimulation, Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School, Boston MA 02215, USA.

Trends in Cognitive Sciences
|January 14, 2011
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Learning Braille induces neuroplastic changes in the brain, including sensorimotor cortex enlargement and visual cortex recruitment for tactile processing. These brain adaptations aid in reading accuracy and may be enhanced by neurophysiological interventions.

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Last Updated: Jun 5, 2026

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Published on: November 11, 2017

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Neuroplasticity
  • Sensory processing

Background:

  • Braille reading requires extracting spatial information from tactile stimuli.
  • Learning Braille is associated with significant neuroplastic changes in the brain.
  • Understanding these changes can inform interventions for individuals with blindness.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the neuroplastic changes occurring during Braille learning.
  • To explore the role of the visual cortex in tactile processing for Braille readers.
  • To assess the potential of neurophysiological techniques to guide brain plasticity.

Main Methods:

  • Utilizing transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) mapping to demonstrate cortical changes.
  • Analyzing sensorimotor cortex enlargement in response to Braille reading.
  • Investigating the recruitment of occipital (visual) cortex areas (V1, V2) for tactile processing.

Main Results:

  • Braille learning leads to a two-step enlargement of the sensorimotor cortex representation for the reading finger.
  • This enlargement involves unmasking existing connections and forming new structural changes.
  • Occipital cortex (V1, V2) is recruited for tactile processing and is critical for reading accuracy in proficient Braille readers.

Conclusions:

  • Braille acquisition induces significant sensorimotor and visual cortex neuroplasticity.
  • These plastic changes are crucial for efficient tactile reading and reading accuracy.
  • Non-invasive neurophysiological techniques may accelerate functional adaptation to blindness by guiding these brain changes.