It is common knowledge that the brain constantly adapts to new challenges by reshaping its structure in order
to carry out new functions. These changes were seen for a long time at the level of the synapse, but a
paradigm shift has point more towards changes at the macro scale of brain networks. Changes in gray and
white matter are observable after skill learning or at the basis of disease, but its mechanisms are still widely
unknown. Bogdan Draganski will provide us insights into the validation of imaging methods with quantitative
MRI, trying to reach a more comprehensive understanding of plasticity and its underlying mechanisms. Alfred
Anwander will show how a long-lasting new cognitive challenge, learning a new language, can be tracked by
studying both structure and function and trying to establish causal relationships in brain change. Brian
Wandell will use the visual system and reading as a starting point to understand how and where plasticity
happens in the human brain, in particular trying to understand how long certain brain areas are able to adapt
to new input. Finally, R. Douglas Fields will give us an insight of the micro scale, bridging the gap between
insights coming from brain imaging and recent finding in the molecular biology of the nervous system.