Petrosini Laura, De Bartolo Paola, Foti Francesca, Gelfo Francesca, Cutuli Debora, Leggio Maria Giuseppa, Mandolesi Laura
Department of Psychology, University Sapienza of Rome, Rome, Italy.
Brain Res Rev. 2009 Oct;61(2):221-39. doi: 10.1016/j.brainresrev.2009.07.002. Epub 2009 Jul 23.
The construct of brain and cognitive reserves holds that cognitive enrichment fosters the development of neuroplasticity properties, which permit normal cognitive functioning even in the presence of brain pathology. Interpreting the experience-dependent increase of neuronal connectivity and efficiency in the light of the reserve theory provides an interesting approach for explaining the maintenance of cognitive function observed in some subjects affected by neurodegenerative disorders. In fact, mental and physical engagement with complex environments strengthens synaptic connectivity and provides the means by which preexisting neuronal networks are efficiently utilized and alternative networks are recruited to meet environmental demands and to cope with brain damage. There is considerable interest in determining the biological factors that allow the development of these reserves. To investigate these factors, it is possible to model situations of environmental enrichment in animals that parallel human cognitive enrichment. Experimental findings indicate that early onset and extended housing in an environment with enhanced sensorimotor, cognitive, and social stimulations results in significant changes in brain biochemistry, synaptic connectivity, and neuronal function in enriched animals. These changes provide the groundwork for the improvement of behavioral performance and maintenance of performance following brain damage. As this is the fundamental assumption of the reserve hypothesis, it is possible that as human educational attainment and occupational status, environmental enrichment develops reserves to be spent in the case of a subsequent lesion.
大脑和认知储备的概念认为，认知丰富能促进神经可塑性特性的发展，即使在存在脑部病变的情况下，这些特性也能使认知功能正常运作。根据储备理论来解释神经元连接性和效率的经验依赖性增加，为解释一些受神经退行性疾病影响的受试者中观察到的认知功能维持现象提供了一种有趣的方法。事实上，在复杂环境中的精神和身体活动会加强突触连接，并提供有效利用现有神经网络以及招募替代网络以满足环境需求和应对脑损伤的方式。人们对确定促成这些储备发展的生物学因素有着浓厚兴趣。为了研究这些因素，可以在与人类认知丰富情况相似的动物身上模拟环境丰富的情形。实验结果表明，在具有增强的感觉运动、认知和社交刺激的环境中早期开始并长期饲养，会使处于丰富环境中的动物的大脑生物化学、突触连接和神经元功能发生显著变化。这些变化为改善行为表现以及在脑损伤后维持表现奠定了基础。由于这是储备假说的基本假设，所以有可能随着人类教育程度和职业地位的提高，环境丰富会发展出储备，以便在随后发生病变时加以利用。
