PERSPECTIVE article
Front. Neurosci.
Sec. Neurodevelopment
The Neurobiology of Play: A Narrative Review of Evidence from Mice and Humans for Advancing Neurorehabilitation
Provisionally accepted
- 1Eye clinic, Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics and Maternal and Child Science, School of Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
- 2Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genoa, Italy
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Objective: This narrative conceptual review explores the neurobiological underpinnings of play behavior across species, with an emphasis on how play affects brain development, social functioning, and cognitive outcomes from early life through aging. Methods: We synthesize current neuroscientific literature from animal and human studies, focusing on translational evidence involving specific brain regions (e.g., prefrontal cortex, amygdala, striatum), neurochemical systems (e.g., dopamine, opioids), and behavioral domains (e.g., executive function, emotional regulation, and social cognition). Studies are categorized by developmental stage and functional impact. Results: Evidence from rodent models demonstrates the activation of distinct neural circuits during structured and spontaneous play (e.g., hide-and-seek, rough-and-tumble), with sex-specific differences in cortical and subcortical engagement. In humans, play emerges in infancy and supports neural plasticity, language development, and executive functioning. Later in life, playfulness correlates with cognitive resilience and may act as a protective factor against neurodegeneration. The review also highlights play-based rehabilitation approaches (e.g., sensory-motor therapy, LEGO®-based interventions, sports) with demonstrated neurological and psychosocial benefits. Conclusion: Play is a multidimensional, evolutionarily conserved behavior that engages neurobiological systems critical to development and health. Although promising evidence supports play-based interventions, further research is needed to clarify mechanisms, optimize therapeutic use, and bridge species-specific findings in translational neuroscience.
Keywords: aging5, Brain2, Child4, Development6, Neuroplasticity6, play1, rat3, social behaviour7
Received: 21 Oct 2025; Accepted: 15 Dec 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Canepa and Ramenghi. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Maria Ester Canepa
Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.