2017 Voss Article: Dynamic Brains And The Changing Rules Of Neuroplasticity: Implications For Learning And Recovering

Question 1

Neuroplasticity defined as:

(Brains ability to what?)

(Voss + Thomas, 2017)

Answer 1

A general umbrella term that refers to the brain’s ability to modify, change and adapt both structure and function throughout life and in response to experience

Question 2

Several lines of evidence suggest that mechanisms of neuroplasticity are extremely variable across what?

and throughout what?

(Voss + Thomas, 2017)

Answer 2

Individuals and throughout the lifetime

Question 3

Key role is played by what three areas in neuroplasticity?

And what factors can they interact with?

(Voss + Thomas 2017)

Answer 3

Critical periods, plasticity inhibitors, and neuromodulator systems

And can interact with age, sex, and sensory experience

Question 4

Age is the key determination in what for plasticity?

Voss + Thomas 2017

Answer 4

In exerppeint-dependent cortical plasticity and critical periods (CPs)

However there is a growing body of evidence demonstrating that CPs can be reopened later in life

Question 5

what effects the time of critical periods (CPs)?

Voss + Thomas 2017

Answer 5

The quality and quantity of sensory inputs

Question 6

What can enriched environments do? (Three key things)

Voss + Thomas, 2017

Answer 6

1. Prolong CPs plasticity
2. Stimulate dendritic growth
3. Improve neuronal response properties

Question 7

What does the excess presence of specific stimulace do during CPs?

(Voss + Thomas 2017)

Answer 7

Results in exaggerated incorporation into the sensory map

As well as the salient (most notable or important) stimuli present- can affect timing

Question 8

Sensory inputs with low signal to nose ration can do what?

Voss + Thomas 2017

Answer 8

Trigger plasticity in the mature cortex

Therefore enriched environments and discrimaition training coudl be used to counteract or prevent the effects of degraded sensory inputs on mature brains (may authors references)

Question 9

What types of interventions are there that target regulators of plasticity? (4 things)

(Voss + Thomas 2017)

Answer 9

1. Cognitive training
2. Neuro-pharmaceuticals (in particular those that influence the neuromodulator systems)
3. Physical exercise
4. Enriched environment

Question 10

Neuromodulator systems consist of what?

Avery + Krichmar 2017

Answer 10

Consists of small pools of neurons (on the order of thousands in the rodent and tens of thousands in the human) located in the brainstem, pontine nucleus, and basal forebrain, which can have a powerful effect on cognitive behavior.

Question 11

What can postpone critical periods (CP) onset and maintain cortical neutrons in an immature state?

(Voss + Thomas, 2017)

Answer 11

A deprived enriched environment or unstructured nosy environments

Question 12

What variability are there in the mechanisms of neuroplasticity? (6 things)

(Voss + Thomas, 2017)

Answer 12

1. Inhibitory network function
2. neuromodulator systems
3. age,
4. sex,
5. brain disease
6. physiological traits