Plasticity is one of the most important properties of neurons, and thanks to it, we Parkinson's patients can live reasonably well with l-dopa, even if the dopamine cells in the substantia nigra decrease to some extent, because the surrounding neurons and other neural networks can make do. In the case of Parkinson's disease, it is difficult to tell because cell death and compensation are constantly occurring. That is why cerebrovascular disease (i.e., stroke) is generally considered the model disease. When a blood vessel in the brain ruptures or clogs and blood flow stops, in about 20 minutes the amount of oxygen to neurons is reduced to less than 20%, neurons die, and the functions they have performed are paralyzed. However, as time passes after the onset of the disease (especially after rehabilitation), the nerves regain their functions. However, since the original functional cells have died, the restoration of function must be done by other cells or circuits. Another smaller change that occurs is in memory and learning, where the content is updated. Updating content means the addition of data, and some memorable memories involve the movement, formation, enlargement, or shrinking of synapses. Simply put, changes in brain function involve changes in form at the circuit, cellular, and synaptic molecular levels. However, the localization of that function is about as far out as the cells around it can go to help it when it is impaired. In fact, the Turing Machine, which provided the principle for AI, is based on this principle, as we have already mentioned in our blog (see "AI: Friend or Foe?"). In fact, did you know that there was a Japanese researcher who led the world in the field of plasticity? He is Dr. Nakaakira Tsukahara of Osaka University's School of Engineering Science. Is he really that great? If you don't know much about him, you are right. Dr. Tsukahara died at a young age in the crash of the Japan Airlines plane at Mount Osutaka. By the way, Jigoro Kano is famous for having organized Japanese jujutsu into a system called judo. His Judo is very cool because a little guy can throw down a big guy. What's more, it was based on physics and simple psychology of human behavior, rather than secret magic or spells, much less throwing in all the kurikoshi points, which is why Westerners were so fascinated with it. One of his French disciples devised a method that enabled physically challenged people to move with less effort by using his own specialized physics. He used neuroplasticity as his theoretical armamentarium (Tsukahara and Krauss are not related). Plasticity is the basis of modern neuroscience, and there is no doubt that exercise is good for the body. I wish someone would do something like this, but there is only one person in the world, maybe a few more, but this is the only one left now. The Japan Feldenkrauss Society is running it. I've only seen a video of the NHK course supervised by them, but I think it's not bad. Does it cost money? It was free to just borrow from an acquaintance and watch the video.
Translated with DeepL and edited by the author.