Scientists at the Stanford School of Medicine have shed some light on how the brain controls its degree of plasticity…
Although brain plasticity is essential to learning new skills and adapting to new circumstances, too much plasticity would lead to instability or loss of important long term capabilities. Identifying the mechanisms that control plasticity can provide insights into certain kinds of brain dysfunctions.
The Stanford team found that turning off a specific group of molecules (removing the brakes) led to a greater degree of adaptation and plasticity.