The importance of neuronal plasticity in the prognosis of cases of cerebral ischemia

Abstract Background: Neuronal plasticity is the capacity that the neurons have to make new connections and enable new ways of transmit-ting information. Under this context, new methodologies are being addressed in order to measure how important this neuronal capacity is in the process of full recovery of learning in subjects who suffered damage from cerebral ischemia. Methods: A systematic review was performed on the online data-bases: Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online (ME-DLINE) and Scopus, between 1998 and 2014. The MeSH (Medical Subject Headings) descriptors used in this review were: "neuronal plasticity", "brain ischemia" and "learning". We found 164 articles that, when screened, resulted in 46 articles that met the criteria of evidence and were included in this review. Results: There are several ways available in the literature to increase neuronal plasticity to keep the learning process after bad confor-mations resulting from cerebral ischemia. We highlighted the most elucidated: those promoted by SMe1EC2 antioxidant, which brings therapeutic benefits when neuronal plasticity is impaired; and Ator-vastatin, a statin which facilitates recovery of spatial learning. It is further observed that the body has a number of intrinsic devices,