Principle of Neurorehabilitation

Kim, Yun-Hee

Ann Clin Neurophysiol > 2001 ;3(2) > Article

Ann Clin Neurophysiol. 2001; 3(2): 223-228.

Yun-Hee Kim

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

ABSTRACT

Neurorehabilitation focuses on the maximal functional recovery of the patients suffered from various neurologic diseases. Comprehensive, functional, and interdisciplinary team approaches are essential and necessary to accomplish this goal. The most important theoretical basis of neurorehabilitation is the plasticity of brain. Even the mammalian CNS does have a considerable ability to readjust to functional loss. Two main form of plasticity are as follows. The first is sprouting, in which axon terminals form new branches and form connection with vacant synaptic sites. The second is the functional unmasking of the silent synapses that exist within the CNS. The local reorganization and remodelling is a feature of many parts of the brain throughout life, and the ability to constantly remodel connections is a vital part of the processes of plasticity and learning. Recently, the neural plasticity associated with rehabilitation and learning is increasingly being studied using functional neuroimaging methods such as positron emmission tomography(PET) and functional magnetic resonance imaging(fMRI). Researches identified intra- and interhemispheric reorganization of neural networks accompanied with functional recovery and rehabilitation after brain injury. Early timed referral of the patients to comprehensive rehabilitation team would be very helpful to promote successful functional recovery by maximizing the plasticity of brain.

Key words: Neurorehabilitation, Neural plasticity