Effect of experience on recovery following CNS lesions.

Recovery of function following central nervous system lesions can be attributed to several changes in the nervous system that occur with time following the initial injury. This article reviews research demonstrating that if the subjects were required to perform specific tasks on a daily basis, recovery was facilitated. Pyramidal tract, cerebellar, and central visual lesions are discussed. Although most of the studies cited deal with research on monkeys, examples are given in the visual system of applying the established monkey paradigm to human subjects, which resulted in an increase in the functional recovery.