Brain Plasticity in Humans and Model Systems: Advances, Challenges, and Future Directions
Luca Bonfanti1,2, Christine J Charvet3
1Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Turin, Largo Braccini 2, 10095 Grugliasco, TO, Italy.
International Journal of Molecular Sciences
|September 10, 2021
Summary
Brain plasticity, including neurogenesis, declines with age but varies across species. Research aims to map these changes across the lifespan to better understand and treat neurological diseases.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cellular Biology
- Developmental Biology
Background:
- Brain plasticity, particularly neurogenesis, is crucial for treating neurological disorders like epilepsy, stroke, and dementia.
- Plasticity exhibits significant variation based on age, brain region, and species, necessitating precise definitions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review recent studies on brain plasticity across the lifespan and diverse species.
- To address the challenge of mapping age-related plasticity changes across different species and to humans.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of recent studies on brain plasticity.
- Analysis of age-related variations in plasticity across different species.
- Development of methods to identify corresponding ages across species.
Main Results:
- A general decline in brain plasticity with increasing age is observed.
- Significant gaps exist in mapping specific forms of plasticity across species.
- Progress has been made in establishing cross-species age correlations for plasticity studies.
Conclusions:
- Understanding temporal and spatial dimensions of plasticity is vital for disease treatment.
- Mapping cross-species plasticity variations can enhance the translation of findings from model organisms to humans.
- Further research is needed to fully delineate species-specific plasticity patterns throughout the lifespan.
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