Axon plasticity in the mammalian central nervous system after injury

Meifan Chen, Binhai Zheng

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

39 Scopus citations

Abstract

It is widely recognized that severed axons in the adult central nervous system (CNS) have limited capacity to regenerate. However, mounting evidence from studies of CNS injury response and repair is challenging the prevalent view that the adult mammalian CNS is incapable of structural reorganization to adapt to an altered environment. Animal studies demonstrate the potential to achieve significant anatomical repair and functional recovery following CNS injury by manipulating axon growth regulators alone or in combination with activity-dependent strategies. With a growing understanding of the cellular and molecular mechanisms regulating axon plasticity, and the availability of new experimental tools to map detour circuits of functional importance, directing circuit rewiring to promote functional recovery may be achieved.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)583-593
Number of pages11
JournalTrends in Neurosciences
Volume37
Issue number10
DOIs
StatePublished - Oct 1 2014

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Neuroscience

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