Plasticity and neurogenesis
Shows that the brain's wiring changes with experience — and that drugs can speed up, slow or damage those changes.
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- The synapse: release, binding and termination — Plasticity changes which synapses exist and how strong they are.
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- Glutamate and GABA: the brain's accelerator and brake — NMDA receptors are the molecular switch for 'fire together, wire together'.
- Fast doors and slow keypads: ionotropic and metabotropic receptors — BDNF acting on TrkB receptors supports plasticity and neuron survival.
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Structure of the brain is not fixed; it changes regularly as a consequence of experience and development. Learning and memory are reflected as changes in network structure, through synaptic plasticity – ability of brain to rewire, eliminating synapses and forming new ones – and neurogenesis – producing new neurons. Some drugs can be neurotoxic or decrease neurogenesis; some can increase plasticity.
Términos del curso
Las palabras de tu profesor, tal cual aparecen en las diapositivas. Aprende el término y esta definición; la explicación de abajo solo ayuda a entenderla.
- Synaptic plasticity
“Synaptic plasticity – ability of brain to rewire, eliminating synapses and forming new ones”Diapositivas 02, p. 26
Greatest in early life, but persists throughout the lifetime.
- Dendritic spines
“New connections occur at dendrites – dendritic spines”Diapositivas 02, p. 26
An acute increase in spine growth is a proxy for greater plasticity, typically followed by spine pruning.
- Neurogenesis
“Neurogenesis – producing new neurons”Diapositivas 02, p. 27
Once thought not to happen in adults; we now know the brain can grow new neurons.
- Neurogenic theory
“Neurogenic theory of antidepressants / depression”Diapositivas 02, p. 27
The idea that antidepressants help partly by increasing neurogenesis and plasticity.
De tu curso: Course slides 02, pp. 25–27
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Lección completa: Plasticity versus neurogenesis