Research Unit for Neuronal Plasticity & Repair

Welcome to the Research Unit for Neuronal Plasticity & Repair

The brain´s tremendous ability to learn new things does not only help to cope with new situations in everday life but also to compensate for structural changes associated with brain diseases. How and to what extent such processes occur in the adult brain represents a focus of relatively novel research devoted to neuronal repair and plasticity. Current evidence suggests that targeted neurorehabilitation might be able to enhance neuronal plasticity. Advanced MRI techniques such as functional MRI (fMRI) or diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) allow identifying and monitoring functional and (micro)structural brain changes implicated in such processes. The research unit “Neuronal Plasticity and Repair“ at the Medical University of Graz is focussing on the characterisation of mechanisms of plasticity, repair and reorganisation in brain disorders and ultimately aims to explore the effects of neurorehabilitative or pharmacological interventions. Finally, this should allow to develop novel neurobiologically funded training techniques to promote recovery and to predict individual response to such treatment interventions. Stroke, multiple sclerosis and age-related changes of the brain represent targeted areas of this research.