Affiliations: Clinical Neurology, Campus Bio-Medico University,
Rome, Italy | Casa di Cura San Raffaele Cassino e IRCCS, San
Raffaele, Pisana, Italy
Note: [] Corresponding author: Prof. Paolo Maria Rossini, MD, Via Alvaro
del Portillo 21, 00128 Rome, Italy. Tel.: +39 06225411173; Fax: +39
06225411947; E-mail: [email protected]
Abstract: Brain plasticity can be considered the main result of brain
communication with the 'external' and 'internal' environment. Learning new
skills as well as endogenous brain function recovery following a lesion are
based on neural plasticity, a dynamic phenomenon occurring in response to
modification of conscious and pre- or sub-conscious experiences as they
progressively stabilize at the synaptic and neural networks level. In spite of
previously accepted theory, brain plasticity occurs throughout lifespan being
an inner property of the system. Different models of brain plasticity are
examined in relation with different modifications of the CNS: healthy brain
ageing, neurodegenerative disorders, ischemic stroke and multiple sclerosis. A
clarification of advantageous as well as of aberrant brain plasticity
mechanisms in pathological conditions may help to improve the development of
rehabilitation methods to better address and facilitate such processes.
