Structural Brain Alterations following 5 Days of Intervention: Dynamic Aspects of Neuroplasticity
Abstract
Activation-dependent brain plasticity in humans on a structural level has been demonstrated in adults after 3 months of training a visio-motor skill. The exact timescale of usage-dependent structural changes, whether days, months, or years, is, however, still debated. A better understanding of the temporal parameters may help elucidate to what extent this type of cortical plasticity contributes to fast adapting cortical processes that may be relevant to learning and effects of treatments. Using voxel-based morphometry, we are able to show that repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation delivered to the superior temporal cortex causes macroscopic cortical changes in gray matter (GM) in the auditory cortex as early as within 5 days of continuous intervention. These structural alterations are mirrored by changes in cortical evoked potentials attributed to the GM changes and demonstrate the rapid dynamics of these processes, which occur within a time range characteristic for the onset of behavioral effects induced by a variety of treatment methods for neuropsychiatric diseases. Our finding suggests that cortical plasticity on a structural level in adult humans is already detectable after 1 week, which provides support for fast adjusting neuronal systems, such as spine and synapse turnover, and contradicts slow evolving mechanisms, such as neuronal or glial cell genesis.
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Neuroimaging studies have demonstrated that short-term interventions of 1-3 months can elicit significant changes in brain structure and function, including alterations in grey matter volume, functional connectivity, and activation patterns in regions associated with cognitive functions.
“Neuroimaging studies have demonstrated that even short-term interventions of 1–3 months can elicit significant changes in brain structure and function, including alterations in grey matter volume, functional connectivity and activation patterns in regions associated with cognitive functions.4245”
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- Authors
- May, A., Hajak, G., Gänßbauer, S., Steffens, T., Langguth, B., Kleinjung, T., & Eichhammer, P.
- Affiliations
- Universität Hamburg (DE)
- University of Regensburg (DE)
- Venue
- Cerebral Cortex
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press (OUP)
- Published
- 2006-02-15
- Volume
- 17
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 205-210
- ISSN
- 1047-3211 (ISSN-L)
- 1460-2199
- OpenAlex
- W2118408136
- Cited by
- 344
- References
- 2
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 9 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 11 · 2022: 15 · 2021: 14 · 2020: 21 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 23 · 2017: 22 · 2016: 22 · 2015: 19 · 2014: 17 · 2013: 25 · 2012: 23
- FWCI
- 12.79
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Cerebral Cortex (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- University of Regensburg Publication Server (University of Regensburg) (acceptedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Neurology › Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Studies
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Tactile and Sensory Interactions
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research
- Keywords
- structural neuroplasticity, transcranial magnetic stimulation, superior temporal cortex, gray matter changes, auditory cortex, cortical evoked potentials
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Auditory Cortex, Brain, Cerebral Cortex, Data Interpretation, Statistical, Double-Blind Method, Electric Stimulation, Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Female, Humans, Image Processing, Computer-Assisted, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Male, Neuronal Plasticity, Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation
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