NEURONAL PLASTICITY AS A PREVENTION TO ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE: AN INTEGRATIVE REVIEW

Abstract

Introduction: Neuronal plasticity is the brain's ability to perform activities and readapt itself from a stimulus caused by the external environment. Related to that, understands that with the human aging process, the organism tends to develop diseases, amongst them, those involving the cognitive processes, in case, like the Alzheimer´s Disease. Therefore, this work have the objective of discuss the importance of the neuronal plasticity and your relation with the Alzheimer’s Disease. Method: An integrative review was made in order to analyze the available studies on SciElo, PubMed, VHL and SciVerse Scopus databases, from the neuronal plasticity, memory and Alzheimer descriptors. Articles in Portuguese and English languages were used, with the publication period between the years 2000 and 2020. Results: Two of the three studies about the inclusion criteria reported positive results with relation to the clinical condition, mood, learning and memorization of the elderly subjected to the realization of activities that stimulate the neuronal plasticity, so that stimulate the brain, memorize, learn or relearn something new. For that, was introduced to the patients’ routine the involvement of repeated practice of tasks like games performed on the computer, the psychoeducation, beyond varied techniques of behavior changes and lifestyle, incorporating cognitive interventions with the aid of physical exercises. The last study used did not show any significant results that demonstrated the effectiveness of intervention in multiple domains and health counseling in the development of neuronal plasticity in the studied groups. Conclusion: With the present article, was possible conclude that stimulate the brain for new activities provokes the stimulation of synapses on the memorization and learn processes, contributing with the prevention of the onset of Alzheimer’s Disease.

Keywords: Neuronal plasticity. Memory. Alzheimer.