QBI researchers study how the brain encodes, stores, and retrieves information. This includes studying synaptic plasticity (changes in the strength of connections between neurons) and mechanisms like long-term potentiation (LTP), crucial for learning and memory formation.
The brain is a remarkably adaptive organ. Neurons and the connections between them are continually changing, which allow us to acquire new skills, retain memories, and recover from brain injury. Neuroplasticity refers to the brain and nervous system’s ability to re-model in response to new information. Being plastic, the brain can change as a result of behaviour, emotions, external stimuli and injury.
One mechanism through which this occurs is synaptic plasticity, which occurs at synapses and is crucial for forming new memories. Another is the birth of new neurons, which is known as neurogenesis.
Synaptic plasticity
Synaptic plasticity is a fundamental mechanism that links changes in the brain's neural connections to learning and memory. It refers to the brain's ability to strengthen or weaken synapses (the connections between neurons) based on experiences, stimuli, or activity. This adaptability allows the brain to encode and store new information, making synaptic plasticity essential for learning and cognitive flexibility.
How do scientists study synaptic plasticity and learning?
Neurogenesis
Are new neurons formed in the adult brain?
