Enhancement of use-dependent plasticity by D-amphetamine.

In healthy individuals, motor training can elicit use-dependent plasticity. Here the authors studied six subjects in whom training alone failed to elicit this effect. Administration of a single dose of 10 mg of D-amphetamine preceding training led to use-dependent plasticity in a subgroup of these subjects. Using pharmacologic interventions to enhance the effects of motor training might help rehabilitative efforts in patients in whom training alone fails.