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Proposal
The idea that the brain and its functions are not fixed throughout adulthood was proposed by William James in The Principles of Psychology, the idea was not accepted and was neglected. -
Rhesus Monkeys
Karl Lashley conducted experiments on rhesus monkeys which demonstrated changes in neuronal pathways. From this research he concluded evidence of plasticity, although despite his seemingly concrete findings, the idea of neuroplasticity was still not widely accepted by neuroscientists. . -
Hebbian Law
Donald Hebb wrote: “the persistence or repetition of a reverberatory activity (or “trace”) tends to induce lasting cellular changes that add to its stability. When an axon of cell A is near enough to excite a cell B and repeatedly or persistently takes part in firing it, some growth process or metabolic change takes place in one or both cells such that A's efficiency, as one of the cells firing B, is increased." "Neurons that fire together, wire together." -
Paul Bach-y-Rita
Paul Bach-y-Rite invented a device that allowed blind people to read, perceive shadows, and distinguish between close and distant objects. This “machine was one of the first and boldest applications of neuroplasticity.” The patient would sit in an electrically stimulated chair that had a large camera behind it which scanned the area, sending electrical signals of the image to four hundred vibrating stimulators on the chair against the patient’s skin. -
Acceptance
An accepted idea across neuroscience was that the nervous system was essentially fixed throughout adulthood, both in terms of brain functions, as well as the idea that it was impossible for new neurons to develop after birth. This mentality finally began to take the back seat, and people began to accept the "new" idea of neuroplasticity. -
Silver Spring Monkeys
Some scientists believe the Silver Spring monkeys represent an unusual opportunity to study neuroplasticity because of the length of time their brains have been cut off from normal limb function. -
Germany
A study was looking to test directly if CYC influences tDCS-induced cortical neuroplasticity. The effect of CYC alone on corticospinal and intracortical excitability was tested to prove the selectivity of its effects on ongoing neuroplastic processes. The experimenters found that a moderate dosage of CYC was not enough to stimulate the tDCS-induced membrane effects on NMDA receptor activity.
(CYC- a partial agonist at the glycine receptor; has been shown to have cognition-enhancing properties) -
VRT
New findings emphasized the clinical relevance of neuroplasticity of the visual system. It confirms that Vision Restoration Therapy (VRT) is an effective home-based rehabilitation method for restoring visual function caused by stroke or traumatic brain injury. VRT is based on the principle of neuroplasticity: the ability of the brain to repair itself to compensate for injury. -
Anxiety and OCD
Dr. Jeffrey M. Schwartz, M.D., and his colleagues at UCLA, discovered that cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can positively impact the brain mechanics involved in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) in a manner similar to psychotropic medications. -
TEL.A.VISION
TEL.A.VISION, the proven Web 2.0 online curriculum that inspires youth to create and share visions of hope and possibility through personal “vision videos." This “neuroplastic training” strengthens the brain through repetition, just like a weak muscle, and helps the brain to pay attention to daily occurrences that can help students achieve their goals.
