Plasticity
Plasticity means adaptive or malleable. If an area on the body is destroyed the respective brain area will start working with the area next to it. Also, experience can shape the brain areas even in adult life. Topographic mapping is when the body is represented on its respective cortical area. This is also called homunculi, which is a when a "small person" is represented on the brain areas. For example, if one of your fingers is amputated or a nerve is cut the respective brain area will eventually become active again and respond to stimulation to the finger adjacent to the amputated finger. The cortical neurons that responded to the amputated areas may undergo denervation hypersensitivity, which means that the receptors become more sensitive or there is an increase in number of receptors. Another example of brain plasticity is in string players. String players tend to use their left hands a lot and because of this that particular brain area grows. Within days a certain brain area can adapt itself and become active and respond to stimulation to adjacent areas. Reorganization depends on the amount of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). More GABA means that the ability of the brain to reorganize itself.
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