Affiliations: Human Cortical Physiology Section, National Institute
of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda,
MD, USA | Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation,
Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
Note: [] Corresponding author: Leonardo G. Cohen, MD, Human Cortical
Physiology Section, NIH, Bldg. 10, Room 5N226, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA. Tel.:
+1 301 496 9782; E-mail: cohenl@ninds.nih.gov
Abstract: Basic science studies demonstrated mechanisms of plasticity and
metaplasticity. More recent human studies identified some of these mechanisms
as operating in multiple areas of human cognition, such as learning and memory,
and in functional recovery from lesions in the CNS, as in stroke. One of the
goals of neurorehabilitation is the translation of these principles into
rational strategies to promote recovery of function. Understanding the
mechanisms and functional role of human plasticity could lead to the
development of therapeutic options in situations in which there is virtually no
treatment alternative, as in chronic stroke. We review some of the work
performed to better understand the substrates and mechanisms underlying
cortical plasticity and discuss some experimental approaches to enhance
cortical plasticity and recovery of function, like cortical stimulation.
