Enhancement of neuroplasticity by drug therapy

This chapter reviews effects of central nervous system (CNS) active drugs specifically on activity-dependent plasticity and learning. The rationale for choosing this focus is the existing evidence that CNS active drugs have an impact on rehabilitation success after stroke to a relevant extent only if coupled with task-specific practice. This chapter reviews pharmacological modulation of stimulation-induced long-term potentiation (LTP) in animal and human studies because synaptic plasticity in the form of LTP is a basic mechanism of learning and memory processes. Next, the chapter reviews the evidence of CNS active drugs on learning in animal and human studies. In the third part, the impact of CNS active drugs on neurorehabilitation of stroke patients is surveyed and the translational cascade from basic research to clinical studies is described. Finally, limitations of the current studies, open questions, and future directions are discussed. This chapter demonstrates significant impact of neuropharmacology on activity-dependent plasticity and learning.