Evolutionary novelty is promoted by a macroevolutionary pulse of developmental plasticity, but is enhanced by secondary fixation, which permits developmental character release and further morphological exploration.
The diversity of electrophysiological phenotypes of neurons in a functional network increases over development, but can be modulated, and even reduced by sensory experience; allowing them to adapt to a changing and growing brain.
A comparative and experimental research refutes the controversial hypothesis that plasticity played a major role in the convergent evolution of Anolis ecomorphs.
Sensory innervation density in the insect associative learning center is set by postsynaptic cells and accomplished by flexible allocation of processes by presynaptic cells.
The higher amount of cortical immature neurons in brains with expanded neocortices may represent a reservoir of young cells for mammals with reduced neurogenesis.
Structural and functional striatal synaptic plasticity abnormalities occur early in a sensitive developmental period, representing a potential unique endophenotypic traits that increase the risk of manifesting clinical symptoms in DYT1 mutation carriers.