Modulation of Gene Expression by Neuronal Lesions in the Rat Striatum

Neurons have the ability not only to modify their physiological characteristics but also their morphology and their synaptic contacts, in response to lesions of the cells with which they are connected. These functional and anatomical modifications are termed “adaptative”, without preconceiving their contribution to a process of restoration of the neural function (Zigmond and Bowers 1981). Adaptative changes are clearly observed during the course of neurological disorders like neurodegenerative diseases, where they contribute to the genesis of clinical symptoms.