Neuroplasticity and Rhinoplasty: Bridging Neuroscience and Aesthetic Surgery

Abstract

Neuroplasticity, the brain's ability to reorganize its structure and function, plays a pivotal role in adapting to anatomical changes introduced by surgical interventions such as rhinoplasty. This review explores the interplay between functional and aesthetic outcomes of rhinoplasty and their implications on cognitive and emotional processes. Key findings highlight the involvement of specialized neural circuits, including the fusiform face area, somatosensory cortex, and mirror neuron systems, in adapting to altered facial features. Furthermore, the importance of preoperative expectations, emotional resilience, and breathing patterns in optimizing postoperative outcomes is emphasized. By integrating neuroscience with clinical insights, this paper underscores the transformative potential of rhinoplasty as both a physical and psychological intervention, fostering a holistic approach to patient care.

Keywords

rhinoplasty - neuroplasticity - facial recognition - aesthetic surgery - neuroscience

Publication History

Accepted Manuscript online:
09 May 2025

Article published online:
20 May 2025

• References

• 1 Kandel ER, Schwartz JH, Jessell TM, Siegelbaum SA, Hudspeth AJ. Principles of Neural Science. 6th ed.. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill; 2021
• 2 Ramachandran VS, Hirstein W. The perception of phantom limbs. The D. O. Hebb lecture. Brain 1998; 121 (Pt 9): 1603-1630
• 3 Gunter JP, Rohrich RJ, Adams Jr WP. Dallas Rhinoplasty: Nasal Surgery by the Masters. 3rd ed.. St. Louis, MO: Quality Medical Publishing; 2007
• 4 Jeannerod M. Motor Cognition: What Actions Tell the Self. Oxford Psychology Series. New York, NY: Oxford University Press; 2003
• 5 Avivi-Arber L, Martin R, Lee JC, Sessle BJ. Face sensorimotor cortex and its neuroplasticity related to orofacial sensorimotor functions. Arch Oral Biol 2011; 56 (12) 1440-1465
• 6 Dempsey JA, Veasey SC, Morgan BJ, O'Donnell CP. Pathophysiology of sleep apnea. Physiol Rev 2010; 90 (01) 47-112 Erratum in: Physiol Rev 2010;90(2):797–798
• 7 Kanwisher N, McDermott J, Chun MM. The fusiform face area: a module in human extrastriate cortex specialized for face perception. J Neurosci 1997; 17 (11) 4302-4311
• 8 Haxby JV, Hoffman EA, Gobbini MI. The distributed human neural system for face perception. Trends Cogn Sci 2000; 4 (06) 223-233
• 9 Pitcher D, Walsh V, Duchaine B. The role of the occipital face area in the cortical face perception network. Exp Brain Res 2011; 209 (04) 481-493
• 10 Devue C, Brédart S. The neural correlates of visual self-recognition. Conscious Cogn 2011; 20 (01) 40-51
• 11 Ramachandran VS, Altschuler EL. The use of visual feedback, in particular mirror visual feedback, in restoring brain function. Brain 2009; 132 (Pt 7): 1693-1710
• 12 Sarwer DB, Crerand CE, Gibbons LM. Psychological aspects of cosmetic surgery. In: Friedberg B. ed. Anesthesia in Cosmetic Surgery. Cambridge University Press; 2007: 182-198
• 13 Dijkerman HC, de Haan EH. Somatosensory processes subserving perception and action. Behav Brain Sci 2007; 30 (02) 189-201 , discussion 201–239
• 14 Botvinick M, Cohen J. Rubber hands 'feel' touch that eyes see. Nature 1998; 391 (6669) 756
• 15 Schweizer R, Voit D, Frahm J. Finger representations in human primary somatosensory cortex as revealed by high-resolution functional MRI of tactile stimulation. Neuroimage 2008; 42 (01) 28-35
• 16 Riva G. Neuroscience and eating disorders: the allocentric lock hypothesis. Med Hypotheses 2012; 78 (02) 254-257
• 17 Rizzolatti G, Craighero L. The mirror-neuron system. Annu Rev Neurosci 2004; 27: 169-192
• 18 Gu X, Hof PR, Friston KJ, Fan J. Anterior insular cortex and emotional awareness. J Comp Neurol 2013; 521 (15) 3371-3388
• 19 Hillman CH, Erickson KI, Kramer AF. Be smart, exercise your heart: exercise effects on brain and cognition. Nat Rev Neurosci 2008; 9 (01) 58-65
• 20 Gorgoni M, D'Atri A, Lauri G, Rossini PM, Ferlazzo F, De Gennaro L. Is sleep essential for neural plasticity in humans, and how does it affect motor and cognitive recovery?. Neural Plast 2013; 2013: 103949
• 21 Zhu LJ, Liu MY, Li H. et al. The different roles of glucocorticoids in the hippocampus and hypothalamus in chronic stress-induced HPA axis hyperactivity. PLoS One 2014; 9 (05) e97689
• 22 Mya Care. The role of breathing for better cognition; 2023. Accessed January 4, 2025 at: https://myacare.com/blog/the-role-of-breathing-for-better-cognition
• 23 Diamond A. Executive functions. Annu Rev Psychol 2013; 64: 135-168
• 24 Vaaga CE, Borisovska M, Westbrook GL. Dual-transmitter neurons: functional implications of co-release and co-transmission. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2014; 29: 25-32
• 25 Kim SH, Hamann S. Neural correlates of positive and negative emotion regulation. J Cogn Neurosci 2007; 19 (05) 776-798
• 26 Tracey I. Getting the pain you expect: mechanisms of placebo, nocebo and reappraisal effects in humans. Nat Med 2010; 16 (11) 1277-1283
• 27 Grace SA, Labuschagne I, Kaplan RA, Rossell SL. The neurobiology of body dysmorphic disorder: a systematic review and theoretical model. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2017; 83: 83-96