Brain plasticity mechanism allows reorganization of sense of touch during development

A team of researchers has discovered that the developing brain can reorganize its sensory maps when the sense of touch is affected. In a study published today in Nature Communications, the Development, Plasticity, and Reprogramming of Sensory Circuits laboratory, led by Guillermina López-Bendito, has demonstrated that the somatosensory cortex can modify its structure and functionality in response to the absence of sensory stimuli from birth. This finding provides new insights into neural plasticity and the brain’s ability to adapt to structural changes.