Mechanisms of Human Plasticity in the Human System The purpose
of this study is to investigate the physiology associated with
plasticity of the motor system. Plasticity refers to the process
by which neighboring brain cells assume the responsibilities of
damaged or diseased brain cells. The mechanisms behind this
process are unknown. However, researchers have several theories
about how plastic changes take place. Possible explanations
include the growth of new connections between brain cells and
the use of previously unused connections. Researchers plan to
use transcranial magnetic stimulation and drug intervention in
order to determine the mechanisms responsible for specific types
of plasticity. Previous studies have shown that certain drugs
can affect the mechanisms involved in these changes. By using
one drug at a time, researchers plan to evaluate the role of
each of several different mechanisms in brain reorganization.
Spinal Cord Injury |Official Title:||Mechanisms of Plasticity in
the Human Motor Syste