Topic
Developmental plasticity
About: Developmental plasticity is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 1721 publications have been published within this topic receiving 103438 citations.
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TL;DR: The recent literature is summarized to elaborate the possible mechanistic role of neural plasticity in depression and find findings that may pave the way for future progress in neural Plasticity studies.
Abstract: Neural plasticity, a fundamental mechanism of neuronal adaptation, is disrupted in depression. The changes in neural plasticity induced by stress and other negative stimuli play a significant role in the onset and development of depression. Antidepressant treatments have also been found to exert their antidepressant effects through regulatory effects on neural plasticity. However, the detailed mechanisms of neural plasticity in depression still remain unclear. Therefore, in this review, we summarize the recent literature to elaborate the possible mechanistic role of neural plasticity in depression. Taken together, these findings may pave the way for future progress in neural plasticity studies.
388 citations
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TL;DR: In this paper, a set of conceptual and methodological issues that are particularly relevant for the study of neural plasticity are discussed. And the authors argue that the imaging of learning-related and developmental plasticity can enhance the ability of functional neuroimaging to identify and characterize the underlying neural basis of cognition.
378 citations
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TL;DR: By a variety of mechanisms, the human brain is constantly undergoing plastic changes, and knowledge about the physiology of brain plasticity has led to the development of new techniques for rehabilitation.
376 citations
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TL;DR: It is claimed that rigorous testing of predictions requires methods that allow for quantifying and comparing whole organism plasticity, as well as the ability to experimentally manipulate the level of and capacity for developmental plasticity and phenotypic flexibility independent of genetic variation.
Abstract: Much research has been devoted to identify the conditions under which selection favours flexible individuals or genotypes that are able to modify their growth, development and behaviour in response to environmental cues, to unravel the mechanisms of plasticity and to explore its influence on patterns of diversity among individuals, populations and species. The consequences of developmental plasticity and phenotypic flexibility for the performance and ecological success of populations and species have attracted a comparatively limited but currently growing interest. Here, I re-emphasize that an increased understanding of the roles of plasticity in these contexts requires a ‘whole organism' (rather than ‘single trait') approach, taking into consideration that organisms are integrated complex phenotypes. I further argue that plasticity and genetic polymorphism should be analysed and discussed within a common framework. I summarize predictions from theory on how phenotypic variation stemming from developmental plasticity and phenotypic flexibility may affect different aspects of population-level performance. I argue that it is important to distinguish between effects associated with greater interindividual phenotypic variation resulting from plasticity, and effects mediated by variation among individuals in the capacity to express plasticity and flexibility as such. Finally, I claim that rigorous testing of predictions requires methods that allow for quantifying and comparing whole organism plasticity, as well as the ability to experimentally manipulate the level of and capacity for developmental plasticity and phenotypic flexibility independent of genetic variation.
369 citations
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TL;DR: The history, time points, and mechanisms of epigenetic gene-environment interaction are reviewed and examples of how changes in the early environment profoundly affect these mechanisms are provided throughout the animal kingdom.
Abstract: Environmental influence on developmental plasticity impacts a wide diversity of animal life from insects to humans. We now understand the epigenetic basis for many of these altered phenotypes. The five environmental factors of nutrition, behavior, stress, toxins, and stochasticity work individually and in concert to affect the developing epigenome. During early embryogenesis, epigenetic marks, such as DNA methylation, are reset at specific times. Two waves of global demethylation and reestablishment of methylation frame the sensitive times for early environmental influences and will be the focus of this review. Gene transcription, translation, and post-translational modification of chromatin remodeling complexes are three mechanisms affected by developmental exposure to environmental factors. To illustrate how changes in the early environment profoundly affect these mechanisms, we provide examples throughout the animal kingdom. Herein we review the history, time points, and mechanisms of epigenetic gene-e...
366 citations