neuroplasticity

noun neu·ro·plas·tic·i·ty \ ˌnu̇r-ō-pla-ˈsti-sə-tē , ˌnyu̇r- \

Definition of neuroplasticity

: plasticity 4

Recent Examples of neuroplasticity from the Web

That's why a therapy that turbocharges this process of building back neuroplasticity after a stroke could be uniquely welcome.

— melissa healy, latimes.com, "Could this drug help the brain recover after a stroke?," 6 Apr. 2018
Recovery interventions, such as food supplements and sleep, lead to increasing capacity and decreasing resistance from the body by reorganizing the biological signaling mechanisms, a process known as retrograde neuroplasticity.

— david prologo, Washington Post, "There are real, and difficult, biological reasons why it’s hard to lose weight," 6 Jan. 2018
Antidepressants, for instance, are also known to increase neuroplasticity, the ability of neurons to change and adapt to what’s asked of them, and something that’s impaired in people with depression.

— dean burnett, The Cut, "Thinking Beyond the ‘Chemical Imbalance’ Theory of Depression," 11 Jan. 2018
That number improved by 33% after 10 sessions that included playing games aimed at increasing brain activity and neuroplasticity, the brain's ability to form new neural connections and recover from injury.

— a.j. perez, USA TODAY, "Clinic provides hope for athletes with brain injuries: 'This is going to be huge'," 3 Oct. 2017
Anu found the answer in the Eaton Arrowsmith Academy in Vancouver, which focuses on the neuroplasticity of the brain — essentially training the brain to function at a new level.

— jane francisco, Good Housekeeping, "Satya and Anu Nadella Open Up About Their Family Life," 27 Sep. 2017
This cellular regeneration is known as neuroplasticity.

— rene chun, Los Angeles Magazine, "Inside the Los Angeles Clinic That Uses Ketamine to Treat Depression," 19 June 2017
As the concept of adult neuroplasticity encroached on the dogma of critical periods, a new generation of neuroscientists seized on sensory-substitution devices as a valuable tool with which to probe human brain development and organization.

— nicola twilley, The New Yorker, "Seeing with Your Tongue," 15 May 2017
The key to DARPA’s project is neuroplasticity, a field of study the military is trying to catch up on.

— katie drummond, WIRED, "DARPA to Map Monkey Brains," 28 Apr. 2009

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'neuroplasticity.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of neuroplasticity

1975

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

Medical Dictionary

neuroplasticity

noun neu·ro·plas·tic·i·ty \ ˌn(y)u̇r-ō-pla-ˈsti-sə-tē \

medical Definition of neuroplasticity

: plasticity 4

… neuroplasticity, the capacity of the brain to develop and change throughout life, something Western science once thought impossible.
—Time, 8 May 2006