Over the last two decades, numerous human MRI studies of neuroplasticity have shown
compelling evidence for extensive and rapid experience-induced brain plasticity in vivo. To
date, most of these studies have consisted of simply detecting a difference in structural or
functional images with little concern for their lack of biological specificity. Recent reviews
and public debates have stressed the need for advanced imaging techniques to gain a
better understanding of the nature of these differences–characterizing their extent in time …

38 It is well accepted that the brain is plastic, having the lifelong capac-39 ity to alter its
structure and function as a mechanism for healthy devel-40 opment, learning, memory, and
recovery from brain injury and disease. 41 Much of what we know about the complex
underlying (sub-) cellular 42 mechanisms has been gained from animal models. Candidate
mecha-43 nisms at the neuronal level include long-term potentiation and depres-44 sion
(LTP, LTD)(Rioult-Pedotti et al., 2000), synaptogenesis (Xu et al., 45 2009), neurogenesis …