Discussion of developmental plasticity: Factors affecting cognitive outcome after pediatric traumatic brain injury

Current research on plasticity has altered the over simplistic view of grea ter capacity in the developing brain after injury. In another paper in this issue, Dennis provides a model to elucidate the complexity uf the multiple factors that influence recovery after brain injury in children. The author s present a brief summary of findings from their longitudinal research in n eurobehavioral recovery after traumatic brain injury in children and adoles cents that elaborates on the framework of Dennis. The discussion highlights the psychobiological factors that interact to define developmental plastic ity and outlines promising directions for future research to elucidate and promote long-term recovery in pediatric brain-injured populations. (C) 2000 by Elsevier Science Inc.