In the past years, there has been a growing interest in the development of intervention procedures to support and to enhance neurorehabilation measures based on training and mass-practice. Such attempts have been driven by the observation that sensory input is crucial for perception and motor performance, and thus for improving performance through neuroplasticity mechanisms. Furthermore, since many patients suffer from restricted mobility, additional and alternative approaches would be advantageous. The dramatic restructuring of the aging pattern characterized by an increasing probability to reach old age is paralleled by an increasing probability to suffer from age-related disorders, which calls for a rapid evaluation of new treatment options particularly suited for aged populations. Not too long ago, induction of learning and plasticity processes have been believed to be limited to active training. However, recent research has demonstrated that pure exposure to sensory repetitive stimulation can induce lasting brain reorganization which is paralleled by enhanced perception and behavior. In this Research Topic we extend our call for review articles and original research using non-human or human models including computational approaches which explore perspectives of sensory stimulation treatment in impaired populations. By that, we aim at providing an overview about the state-of-the-art as well at opening a stage that triggers discussion about the exciting new field across scientific disciplines.
In the past years, there has been a growing interest in the development of intervention procedures to support and to enhance neurorehabilation measures based on training and mass-practice. Such attempts have been driven by the observation that sensory input is crucial for perception and motor performance, and thus for improving performance through neuroplasticity mechanisms. Furthermore, since many patients suffer from restricted mobility, additional and alternative approaches would be advantageous. The dramatic restructuring of the aging pattern characterized by an increasing probability to reach old age is paralleled by an increasing probability to suffer from age-related disorders, which calls for a rapid evaluation of new treatment options particularly suited for aged populations. Not too long ago, induction of learning and plasticity processes have been believed to be limited to active training. However, recent research has demonstrated that pure exposure to sensory repetitive stimulation can induce lasting brain reorganization which is paralleled by enhanced perception and behavior. In this Research Topic we extend our call for review articles and original research using non-human or human models including computational approaches which explore perspectives of sensory stimulation treatment in impaired populations. By that, we aim at providing an overview about the state-of-the-art as well at opening a stage that triggers discussion about the exciting new field across scientific disciplines.
