Structural neural plasticity during stroke recovery

Gerrow, K., and Brown, C. E. (2017). In: Van Ooyen, A., and Butz-Ostendorf, M., eds. The Rewiring Brain: A Computational Approach to Structural Plasticity in the Adult Brain. San Diego: Academic Press, pp. 49-70.

Abstract

Focal ischemic stroke is in many ways reminiscent of an earthquake. Its effects on structure and function are immediate and most strongly experienced by those closest to it. During the initial stages, a neuron’s first priority is survival and there are remarkable imaging studies to show how resilient neuronal structure can be in the face of death. For the neurons that do survive, they must overcome waves of aberrant electrical activity, inflammation and other insults that reverberate for days after stroke, and further strip them of their synaptic connections. Once these stroke aftershocks have subsided, neurons must rebuild and establish new and meaningful lines of communication. Indeed, experimental data show that dendritic spine formation, axonal growth, and synaptogenesis surge in the weeks that follow stroke. This period of growth correlates with the emergence of new receptive fields and patterns of brain activity that are considered essential for recovering functions lost to stroke. This chapter will highlight important experimental advances in this field, provide the most up-to-date perspective on structural neuronal plasticity in the stroke-affected brain, and define controversies for future studies to resolve.