Brain Plasticity and Modern Neurorehabilitation Technologies

Abstract

In recent decades, interest in studies on basic and applied aspects of how the nervous system functions has been growing rapidly around the world. The recovery of lost functions rests on processes of neuroplasticity, which is determined by the ability of the brain to transform its structures in response to injury. The effects of both routine and state-of-the-art neurorehabilitation technologies are ensured by synaptic plasticity— long-term potentiation and long-term depression, which influence learning and the preservation of new knowledge and skills obtained during rehabilitation. The introduction of new methods of neuroimaging, neurophysiology, and mathematical statistics have powerfully stimulated the development of the neuroplasticity doctrine. It has become clear that the main role in the recovery of injured functions is played by the reorganization of cortical nets and not by tissue reparation as such. The Research Center of Neurology has accumulated significant experience in the use of innovative treatment methods based on modern neurorehabilitation principles. Some of them are used for acute stroke; among other things, their effectiveness and safety have been shown with regard to patients in intensive care units (cyclic robotic mechanotherapy) and patients with severe motor deficit and an associated somatic pathology (stimulation of plantar support zones). Opportunities to assess neuroplasticity under various rehabilitation methods using fMRI and navigated transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) are revealed. The center also studies the fundamentals of consciousness using original neuroimaging and neurophysiological protocols for the sake of its recovery. The center is actively introducing its data into the practice of domestic clinics specializing in recovery medicine and neurorehabilitation.