Behavioral and Neural Plasticity in the Developing Brain

行为的生理调节是复杂的，并以年龄依赖的方式发生变化。众所周知，幼龄动物受到损伤后，由大脑特定区域指导的行为可以恢复。然而，随着动物的成熟，这种允许功能恢复的大脑能力就会丧失。关于这种补偿幼龄动物大脑损伤的能力背后的生物学机制，人们知之甚少。然而，众所周知，这些适应需要调节行为的神经机制和神经化学系统的代偿性变化。这项研究很重要，因为它将提供有关行为的神经化学基础和这一调节系统随年龄变化的动态的基本信息。各种各样的感觉运动测试将被用来确定特定病变的行为影响。特定神经化学系统对特定行为的贡献将被确定。通过考虑个体发生变化的反应以及所涉及的神经化学系统的方法，将深入了解神经化学对行为的调节。

The physiological regulators of behavior are complex and change in an age-dependent manner. It is well known that behaviors directed by specific areas of the brain can be recovered following lesions in young animals. However, this ability of the brain that allows for recovery of function is lost as the animal matures. Little is understood regarding the biological mechanisms underlying this ability to compensate for damages to the brain in the young animal. However, it is known that these adaptations require compensational changes in the neural mechanisms and neurochemical systems that regulate behavior. This research is important because it will provide essential information about the neurochemical bases of behavior and the dynamics of this regulatory system with age. A wide variety of sensory-motor tests will be used to ascertain the behavioral effects of specific lesions. The contributions of specific neurochemical systems to the specific behaviors will be determined. Through an approach that considers ontogenetic changes in response as well as the neurochemical systems involved, an in depth understanding will be gained in the neurochemical regulation of behavior.