Abstract:

The American psychologist William James once wrote that nervous tissue seems to be endowed with a “very extraordinary” degree of plasticity. To be plastic means to be capable of being molded, receiving shape, or being made to assume a desired form. This can be achieved consequential to changes in the internal and/or external environment. Being plastic, neurons are highly able to amend their structural and functional output, through alteration of their morphology, activation of ntracellular signaling cascades, regulation of synaptic density and neurotransmitter release, or a combination of these events. This can all be accomplished without compromising the stability and integrity of the entire neuronal network. Neuronal plasticity can be affected by many factors. For instance, the behaviour of the organism can influence neuronal plasticity, where dendritic spine density increases following learning. And, exposure to biochemicals in the environment can result in changes to neurotransmitter release and dendritic spine shape. From an altruistic standpoint, the question arises as to whether plasticity-modulating compounds can be harnessed for therapeutic purposes.