ABSTRACT
Recent evidence suggesting involvement of cell adhesion molecules in activity-dependent changes in the nervous system has stimulated wider interest in these proteins and opened new avenues of research into how the brain modifies its structure through function. These molecules have powerful and essential influences on nervous system structure, during the formation of the nervous system, in adaptive responses to injury, and for maintenance of structural relations in the adult nervous system. However, evidence for involvement of this class of molecules in activity-dependent plasticity is just beginning to emerge, and a number of uncertainties are presented by these initial experiments. This chapter reviews the recent research implicating cell adhesion molecules in activity-dependent plasticity and considers the results in the context of the mechanisms and future directions.
