Surg Neurol
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The brain exhibits neuroplasticity, the capacity to be modifiable by experience. Over the last decade there has been an explosion of knowledge in the field of neuroplasticity. ⋯ An understanding of neuroplasticity is essential for the practicing neurosurgeon since a lot of the drugs neurosurgeons prescribe affect neuroplasticity and a lot of neurosurgical diseases will be treated by therapies which modulate plasticity. In this article we review fundamental concepts of neuroplasticity for the practicing neurosurgeon.