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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.

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 11, 2026

Experience-Dependent Remodeling of Juvenile Brain Olfactory Sensory Neuron Synaptic Connectivity in an Early-Life Critical Period
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Experience-Dependent Remodeling of Juvenile Brain Olfactory Sensory Neuron Synaptic Connectivity in an Early-Life Critical Period

Published on: March 1, 2024

Experience-dependent rapid structural changes in the human brain: A systematic review.

Stella Villa1, Felix Kleinschroth1, Monika Schönauer2

  • 1Institute of Psychology, Neuropsychology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau 79106, Germany.

Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews
|May 9, 2026
PubMed
Summary

Rapid structural plasticity shows measurable brain changes within hours, not just weeks. This review synthesizes evidence from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies on rapid gray matter alterations following various stimuli.

Keywords:
Cortical thicknessDiffusion weighted imagingGray matter volumeLearningNeuroplasticityRapid plasticityStructural MRIT1-weighted imaging

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Last Updated: May 11, 2026

Experience-Dependent Remodeling of Juvenile Brain Olfactory Sensory Neuron Synaptic Connectivity in an Early-Life Critical Period
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Published on: May 12, 2014

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Neuroimaging
  • Brain Plasticity

Background:

  • Traditionally, structural brain plasticity was considered a slow process unfolding over days or weeks.
  • Emerging evidence indicates rapid structural changes occur within hours of experience or manipulation.
  • This phenomenon is termed rapid structural plasticity.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To systematically review evidence for rapid (<2 hours) gray matter structural alterations in humans.
  • To synthesize findings from various magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) modalities.
  • To explore the temporal dynamics and mechanisms of short-term brain plasticity.

Main Methods:

  • Systematic review of 30 studies meeting inclusion criteria.
  • Analysis of diffusion-weighted MRI (DW-MRI) and T1-weighted MRI (T1W-MRI) data.
  • Inclusion of studies using voxel-based morphometry (VBM) and cortical thickness (CT) analysis.

Main Results:

  • DW-MRI studies consistently showed rapid decreases in mean diffusivity in task-relevant brain regions.
  • T1W-MRI studies reported short-term increases in cortical thickness or gray matter volume, often within an hour.
  • Some apparent gray matter volume changes may be linked to transient shifts in cerebral blood flow or extracellular fluid.

Conclusions:

  • Rapid, region-specific structural modulations in the brain can occur within hours of experience.
  • Further research is needed to distinguish genuine structural plasticity from transient physiological effects.
  • Multimodal MRI and precise temporal sampling are crucial for characterizing rapid brain plasticity.