Plasticidade cerebral: conceito(s), contribuições ao avanço científico e estudos brasileiros na área de Letras

The main objective of this article is to discuss the contributions of the concept of “brain plasticity” in the Brazilian scientific advance, especially with regard to language teaching and learning. In order  to do so, the specific objectives of the study are: (a) to discuss the concept of brain plasticity, in relation to the concepts of neural plasticity, neuronal plasticity and synaptic plasticity, based on the literature of the area; (b) to point out contributions of studies related to brain plasticity in different areas of knowledge, such as Education, Psychology and Neurosciences, but with a specific emphasis on the area of Applied Linguistics; and (c) present state-of-the-art research data from postgraduate programs - collected from research on CAPES Theses and Dissertations Bank - which include discussions on brain plasticity in the national context, with emphasis on publications produced in Postgraduate Programs (Master’s and Doctoral Degree) in Letters/Linguistics and their contributions to the process of teaching and learning languages.