Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10316/109708
Title: Plasticity in the human visual cortex: an ophthalmology-based perspective
Authors: Rosa, Andreia Martins 
Silva, Maria Fátima 
Ferreira, Sónia 
Murta, Joaquim 
Castelo-Branco, Miguel 
Issue Date: 2013
Publisher: Hindawi
Serial title, monograph or event: BioMed Research International
Volume: 2013
Abstract: Neuroplasticity refers to the ability of the brain to reorganize the function and structure of its connections in response to changes in the environment. Adult human visual cortex shows several manifestations of plasticity, such as perceptual learning and adaptation, working under the top-down influence of attention. Plasticity results from the interplay of several mechanisms, including the GABAergic system, epigenetic factors, mitochondrial activity, and structural remodeling of synaptic connectivity. There is also a downside of plasticity, that is, maladaptive plasticity, in which there are behavioral losses resulting from plasticity changes in the human brain. Understanding plasticity mechanisms could have major implications in the diagnosis and treatment of ocular diseases, such as retinal disorders, cataract and refractive surgery, amblyopia, and in the evaluation of surgical materials and techniques. Furthermore, eliciting plasticity could open new perspectives in the development of strategies that trigger plasticity for better medical and surgical outcomes.
URI: https://hdl.handle.net/10316/109708
ISSN: 2314-6133
2314-6141
DOI: 10.1155/2013/568354
Rights: openAccess
Appears in Collections:FMUC Medicina - Artigos em Revistas Internacionais

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