plasticity

[pla-stis-i-tee]

noun

1. the quality or state of being plastic.

2. the capability of being molded, receiving shape, or being made to assume a desired form.

   the plasticity of social institutions; the great plasticity of clay.

plasticity

/ plæˈstɪsɪtɪ /

noun

1. the quality of being plastic or able to be moulded

2. (in pictorial art) the quality of depicting space and form so that they appear three-dimensional

Other Word Forms

• nonplasticity noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of plasticity¹

First recorded in 1725–35; plastic + -ity

Example Sentences

In one demonstration, the team created a nanopore that mimics synaptic plasticity, "learning" from voltage pulses much like a neural synapse.

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"This finding extends our earlier observations on the remarkable plasticity of microglia states and their important roles in diverse brain functions. It also underscores the vital importance of international collaboration in advancing scientific progress."

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The term "synaptic plasticity" just means the ability of these connections to be strengthened or otherwise changed.

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Research on both animals and humans shows that slow oscillations improve neural plasticity -- the brain's ability to change and adapt in response to experiences and injury.

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A third paper in eLife explains how the model was then improved further to include the process of synaptic plasticity, the fundamental mechanism that allows us to learn new information.

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