The nervous system changes as it matures. These changes can be initiated by changes in the
internal chemical environment or by externally imposed changes. The neuronal plasticity
group asks questions such as: Can the course of development be altered by environmental
stimuli? Can the course of development be altered by chemical stimuli, especially
hormones? Can function lost by injury or developmental deprivation be recovered? We are
working to answer these questions by using organisms as diverse as tobacco hornworms and
humans.
Changes initiated intrinsically during maturation include Janis Weeks' work on the effects of hormones on the development of neurons and muscles in tobacco hornworms, Terry Takahashi's work on the effect of thyroxin on the development of the salmon olfactory system, and Marjorie Woollocott's studies of the development of motor control in infants.
Changes initiated by external manipulations include work on the changes in glutamate receptors during visual cortex development by Barbara and Marvin Gordon-Lickey, Daniel Kimble's work on recovery from the effects of lesions by tissue transplants, and Marvin Gordon-Lickey's work on the effect of whisker damage on the cytoskeleton in barrels of the somatosensory cortex.