Neural Reorganization versus Functional Compensation following Brain Lesions

Lesions of brain tissue cause important damage that is usually reflected in the loss of function. In some cases there is at least some recovery of the lost function, raising the question about the responsible underlying neural mechanisms. Combined neuroimaging (electroencephalography, magnetencephalography and functional magnetic resonance imaging) was used to study the neural mechanisms of preserved visual functions after posterior cerebral artery (PCA) stroke and of degraded motor function in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). In the first case functional magnetic resonance imaging showed that motion stimuli…