The brain remains dynamic even in old age and can benefit from mental exercise. Thus, it is important to understand the concepts of positive neuroplasticity and negative neuroplasticity and how these mechanisms support or decrease cognitive reserve.

Neural plasticity, also known as neuroplasticity or brain plasticity, can be defined as the ability of the nervous system to change its activity in response to intrinsic or extrinsic stimuli by reorganizing its structure, functions or connections. A fundamental property of neurons is their ability to alter the strength and efficiency of synaptic transmission through a large number of activity-dependent mechanisms, generally referred to as synaptic plasticity. Research over the past century has shown that neural plasticity is a fundamental property of the nervous system in species, from insects to humans. Indeed, studies on synaptic plasticity have not only been an important driver in neuroscience research, but they also contribute to the well-being of our societies because this phenomenon is involved in learning and memory, brain development and homeostasis, sensory training and recovery. brain damage. However, despite intense research into the mechanisms governing synaptic plasticity, it is still unclear exactly how plasticity shapes the morphology and physiology of the brain. Thus, the study of synaptic plasticity is clearly still important if one wishes to fully understand how the brain works.