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Published on: September 7, 2022
Functional and Structural Neuroplasticity Induced by Short-Term Tactile Training Based on Braille Reading
Weronika Debowska1, Tomasz Wolak2, Anna Nowicka3
1Laboratory of Neuroplasticity, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of SciencesWarsaw, Poland; CNS Lab, Nalecz Institute of Biocybernetics and Biomedical Engineering, Polish Academy of SciencesWarsaw, Poland.
Short-term tactile training, like learning Braille, significantly reshapes the brain. This study reveals neuroplastic changes in sensory and multimodal areas, highlighting extensive white matter plasticity.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Neuroplasticity
- Sensory learning
Background:
- Sensory learning induces neuroplastic changes in specific and higher-order brain areas.
- The interaction between these areas, especially in somatosensory learning, remains unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate functional and structural brain changes after short-term tactile training using Braille reading.
- To understand the interplay between somatosensory and multimodal brain regions during tactile learning.
Main Methods:
- Functional and diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were used.
- Subjects with normal vision underwent 3 weeks of tactile Braille training.
- Brain activity and white matter integrity were assessed before and after training during a tactile discrimination task.
Main Results:
- Significant training-induced effects were observed in the primary somatosensory cortex (SI), including bilateral activity increase and contralateral white matter fractional anisotropy (FA) enhancement.
- Increased white matter FA was also noted in the secondary somatosensory area (SII) and thalamus.
- Functional and structural changes extended to multimodal areas like the fusiform gyrus, medial frontal gyri, and inferior parietal lobule.
Conclusions:
- Short-term tactile learning, exemplified by Braille reading, induces functional remodeling in the somatosensory pathway.
- This learning also impacts higher-order multimodal brain areas, demonstrating extensive white matter plasticity.
- The findings provide novel insights into the brain's adaptability through tactile sensory experiences.
