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      Dynamic Properties of Human Brain Structure: Learning-Related Changes in Cortical Areas and Associated Fiber Connections

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          Abstract

          Recent findings in neuroscience suggest that adult brain structure changes in response to environmental alterations and skill learning. Whereas much is known about structural changes after intensive practice for several months, little is known about the effects of single practice sessions on macroscopic brain structure and about progressive (dynamic) morphological alterations relative to improved task proficiency during learning for several weeks. Using T1-weighted and diffusion tensor imaging in humans, we demonstrate significant gray matter volume increases in frontal and parietal brain areas following only two sessions of practice in a complex whole-body balancing task. Gray matter volume increase in the prefrontal cortex correlated positively with subject's performance improvements during a 6 week learning period. Furthermore, we found that microstructural changes of fractional anisotropy in corresponding white matter regions followed the same temporal dynamic in relation to task performance. The results make clear how marginal alterations in our ever changing environment affect adult brain structure and elucidate the interrelated reorganization in cortical areas and associated fiber connections in correlation with improvements in task performance.

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          Author and article information

          Journal
          J Neurosci
          J. Neurosci
          jneuro
          jneurosci
          J. Neurosci
          The Journal of Neuroscience
          Society for Neuroscience
          0270-6474
          1529-2401
          1 September 2010
          : 30
          : 35
          : 11670-11677
          Affiliations
          [1] 1Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Department of Neurology, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany,
          [2] 2Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois, University of Lausanne, 1011 Lausanne, Switzerland, and
          [3] 3Mind Brain Institute, Charité and Humboldt University, D-10117 Berlin, Germany
          Author notes
          Correspondence should be addressed to Dr. Patrick Ragert, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Department of Neurology, Stephanstrasse 1a, D-04103 Leipzig Germany. ragert@ 123456cbs.mpg.de

          *B.D. and A.A. contributed equally to this work.

          Article
          PMC6633410 PMC6633410 6633410 3627868
          10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2567-10.2010
          6633410
          20810887
          64c16be6-4c88-453e-a6a6-c9c5da9e58c5
          Copyright © 2010 the authors 0270-6474/10/3011670-08$15.00/0
          History
          : 20 May 2010
          : 2 July 2010
          : 9 July 2010
          Categories
          Articles
          Behavioral/Systems/Cognitive

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