Plasticity
Plasticity (Medicine)
Plasticity (/plæˈstɪsɪti/), derived from the Greek word plastikos meaning "capable of being shaped or molded", is a term used in the medical field to describe the ability of an organism, tissue, or cell to change its form or function in response to changes in its environment.
Definition
In the context of medicine, plasticity refers to the ability of the nervous system to change its structure and function in response to experience or damage. This concept is fundamental to understanding how the brain and nervous system work, and is particularly relevant in the fields of neurology, neuropsychology, and rehabilitation medicine.
Types of Plasticity
There are several types of plasticity in the medical field:
- Neuroplasticity: This is the ability of the brain's neurons to reorganize themselves by forming new neural connections throughout life. Neuroplasticity allows the neurons in the brain to compensate for injury and disease and to adjust their activities in response to new situations or to changes in their environment.
- Synaptic Plasticity: This refers to the ability of the connection, or synapse, between two neurons to change in strength in response to either an increase or decrease in activity.
- Structural Plasticity: This is the brain's ability to change its physical structure as a result of learning. When we learn something new, the structure of the neurons changes; this change in the physical structure of the brain is what we refer to as structural plasticity.
Clinical Implications
Understanding plasticity has important implications for medical treatment. For example, in stroke rehabilitation, therapies are designed to harness the brain's plasticity for recovery. Similarly, in conditions like autism and schizophrenia, where certain parts of the brain may function differently, understanding plasticity could lead to new treatments.
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Plasticity
- Wikipedia's article - Plasticity
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