6.5: Plasticity and functional recovery of the brain after trauma

Question 1

Joanne is an amateur boxer and has sustained a severe blow to her head during a match. She was knocked unconscious and suffered concussion and some damage to her brain.

Outline two factors that will affect her chances of a full recovery (4 marks)

Answer 1

One factor is her age

Question 2

Joanne is an amateur boxer and has sustained a severe blow to her head during a match. She was knocked unconscious and suffered concussion and some damage to her brain.

Outline two factors that will affect her chances of a full recovery (4 marks).
One factor is her age - What?

Answer 2

One factor is her age - Patients older than 40 years of age tend to regain less function than people under 40 years of age

Question 3

Joanne is an amateur boxer and has sustained a severe blow to her head during a match. She was knocked unconscious and suffered concussion and some damage to her brain.

Outline two factors that will affect her chances of a full recovery (4 marks).
One factor is her age - Patients older than 40 years of age tend to regain less function than people under 40 years of age.

Another factor

Answer 3

Another factor is her gender

Question 4

Joanne is an amateur boxer and has sustained a severe blow to her head during a match. She was knocked unconscious and suffered concussion and some damage to her brain.

Outline two factors that will affect her chances of a full recovery (4 marks).
One factor is her age - Patients older than 40 years of age tend to regain less function than people under 40 years of age.

Another factor is her gender.
Why are her chances of recovery quite good?

Answer 4

Her chances of recovery are quite good, because she is female

Question 5

Joanne is an amateur boxer and has sustained a severe blow to her head during a match. She was knocked unconscious and suffered concussion and some damage to her brain.

Outline two factors that will affect her chances of a full recovery (4 marks).
One factor is her age - Patients older than 40 years of age tend to regain less function than people under 40 years of age.

Another factor is her gender.
Her chances of recovery are quite good, because she is female – what does research show?

Answer 5

Her chances of recovery are quite good, because she is female – research shows that women recover better than males from brain injuries, as their function is not as lateralised (concentrated in one hemisphere) as it is in males

Question 6

Researchers investigating recovery rates from brain trauma concluded that men recovered at a slower rate than women, because they spent longer in rehabilitation units. The sample size for the study was six men and seven women.

Explain why the researchers’ conclusion may not be valid (4 marks)

Answer 6

The researchers’ conclusion may not be valid, because the sample size, for both males and females, is very small

Question 7

Researchers investigating recovery rates from brain trauma concluded that men recovered at a slower rate than women, because they spent longer in rehabilitation units. The sample size for the study was six men and seven women.

Explain why the researchers’ conclusion may not be valid (4 marks).
The researchers’ conclusion may not be valid, because the sample size, for both males and females, is very small, causing problems in being able to do what?

Answer 7

The researchers’ conclusion may not be valid, because the sample size, for both males and females, is very small, causing problems in being able to generalise findings to the target population

Question 8

Researchers investigating recovery rates from brain trauma concluded that men recovered at a slower rate than women, because they spent longer in rehabilitation units. The sample size for the study was six men and seven women.

Explain why the researchers’ conclusion may not be valid (4 marks).
The researchers’ conclusion may not be valid, because the sample size, for both males and females, is very small, causing problems in being able to generalise findings to the target population.
What is also reduced?

Answer 8

Internal validity (whether the results are due to the manipulation of the IV and not some other variable) is also reduced

Question 9

Researchers investigating recovery rates from brain trauma concluded that men recovered at a slower rate than women, because they spent longer in rehabilitation units. The sample size for the study was six men and seven women.

Explain why the researchers’ conclusion may not be valid (4 marks).
The researchers’ conclusion may not be valid, because the sample size, for both males and females, is very small, causing problems in being able to generalise findings to the target population.
Internal validity (whether the results are due to the manipulation of the IV and not some other variable) is also reduced, why?

Answer 9

Internal validity (whether the results are due to the manipulation of the IV and not some other variable) is also reduced, because there are many other factors that could be involved

Question 10

Researchers investigating recovery rates from brain trauma concluded that men recovered at a slower rate than women, because they spent longer in rehabilitation units. The sample size for the study was six men and seven women.

Explain why the researchers’ conclusion may not be valid (4 marks).
The researchers’ conclusion may not be valid, because the sample size, for both males and females, is very small, causing problems in being able to generalise findings to the target population.
Internal validity (whether the results are due to the manipulation of the IV and not some other variable) is also reduced, because there are many other factors that could be involved, such as what?

Answer 10

Internal validity (whether the results are due to the manipulation of the IV and not some other variable) is also reduced, because there are many other factors that could be involved, such as:
1. Alcohol consumption
2. Age
3. Stress
,etc

Question 11

Lotta’s grandmother suffered a stroke to the left hemisphere, damaging Broca’s area and the motor cortex.

Lotta worries that because of her grandmother’s age she will not be able to make any recovery.

Using your knowledge of plasticity and functional recovery of the brain after trauma, explain why Lotta might be wrong (4 marks)

Answer 11

Lotta might be wrong, because Lotta’s grandmother might still be capable of functional reorganisation/plasticity

Question 12

Lotta’s grandmother suffered a stroke to the left hemisphere, damaging Broca’s area and the motor cortex.

Lotta worries that because of her grandmother’s age she will not be able to make any recovery.

Using your knowledge of plasticity and functional recovery of the brain after trauma, explain why Lotta might be wrong (4 marks).
Lotta might be wrong, because Lotta’s grandmother might still be capable of functional reorganisation/plasticity.
Although her grandmother is older, what might her brain still be able to do?

Answer 12

Although she is older, her brain might still be able to form new connections (axons and dendrites) between neurons

Question 13

Lotta’s grandmother suffered a stroke to the left hemisphere, damaging Broca’s area and the motor cortex.

Lotta worries that because of her grandmother’s age she will not be able to make any recovery.

Using your knowledge of plasticity and functional recovery of the brain after trauma, explain why Lotta might be wrong (4 marks).
Lotta might be wrong, because Lotta’s grandmother might still be capable of functional reorganisation/plasticity.
Although she is older, her brain might still be able to form new connections (axons and dendrites) between neurons.
What may neuronal loss be compensated for by?

Answer 13

Neuronal loss may be compensated for by regeneration (axon sprouting)

Question 14

Lotta’s grandmother suffered a stroke to the left hemisphere, damaging Broca’s area and the motor cortex.

Lotta worries that because of her grandmother’s age she will not be able to make any recovery.

Using your knowledge of plasticity and functional recovery of the brain after trauma, explain why Lotta might be wrong (4 marks).
Lotta might be wrong, because Lotta’s grandmother might still be capable of functional reorganisation/plasticity.
Although she is older, her brain might still be able to form new connections (axons and dendrites) between neurons.
Neuronal loss may be compensated for by regeneration (axon sprouting).
What does plasticity allow the brain to cope better with?

Answer 14

Plasticity allows the brain to cope better with ‘indirect’ effects of brain damage resulting from inadequate blood supply following a stroke

Question 15

Lotta’s grandmother suffered a stroke to the left hemisphere, damaging Broca’s area and the motor cortex.

Lotta worries that because of her grandmother’s age she will not be able to make any recovery.

Using your knowledge of plasticity and functional recovery of the brain after trauma, explain why Lotta might be wrong (4 marks).
Lotta might be wrong, because Lotta’s grandmother might still be capable of functional reorganisation/plasticity.
Although she is older, her brain might still be able to form new connections (axons and dendrites) between neurons.
Neuronal loss may be compensated for by regeneration (axon sprouting).
Plasticity allows the brain to cope better with ‘indirect’ effects of brain damage resulting from inadequate blood supply following a stroke.
What could also enhance Lotta’s grandmother’s recovery?

Answer 15

Increased brain stimulation of the opposite hemisphere could also enhance Lotta’s grandmother’s recovery

Question 16

Josie is twelve. Last year she was involved in a serious road accident and suffered head injuries that caused problems with speech and understanding language. Now, a year later, Josie has recovered most of her language abilities.

Using your knowledge of plasticity and functional recovery of the brain after trauma, explain Josie’s recovery (4 marks)

Answer 16

When the brain is still maturing recovery from trauma is more likely and Josie is still young

Question 17

Josie is twelve. Last year she was involved in a serious road accident and suffered head injuries that caused problems with speech and understanding language. Now, a year later, Josie has recovered most of her language abilities.

Using your knowledge of plasticity and functional recovery of the brain after trauma, explain Josie’s recovery (4 marks).
When the brain is still maturing recovery from trauma is more likely and Josie is still young.

Answer 17

Neural reorganisation is the transfer of functions to undamaged areas, which can explain her recovery

Question 18

Josie is twelve. Last year she was involved in a serious road accident and suffered head injuries that caused problems with speech and understanding language. Now, a year later, Josie has recovered most of her language abilities.

Using your knowledge of plasticity and functional recovery of the brain after trauma, explain Josie’s recovery (4 marks).
When the brain is still maturing recovery from trauma is more likely and Josie is still young.
Neural reorganisation is the transfer of functions to undamaged areas, which can explain her recovery.

Answer 18

Neural regeneration is the growth of new neurons and/or connections to compensate for damaged areas, which can also explain her recovery

Question 19

Josie is twelve. Last year she was involved in a serious road accident and suffered head injuries that caused problems with speech and understanding language. Now, a year later, Josie has recovered most of her language abilities.

Using your knowledge of plasticity and functional recovery of the brain after trauma, explain Josie’s recovery (4 marks).
When the brain is still maturing recovery from trauma is more likely and Josie is still young.
Neural reorganisation is the transfer of functions to undamaged areas, which can explain her recovery.
Neural regeneration is the growth of new neurons and/or connections to compensate for damaged areas, which can also explain her recovery.

Answer 19

Plasticity allows the brain to cope better with ‘indirect’ effects of brain damage

Question 20

Josie is twelve. Last year she was involved in a serious road accident and suffered head injuries that caused problems with speech and understanding language. Now, a year later, Josie has recovered most of her language abilities.

Using your knowledge of plasticity and functional recovery of the brain after trauma, explain Josie’s recovery (4 marks).
When the brain is still maturing recovery from trauma is more likely and Josie is still young.
Neural reorganisation is the transfer of functions to undamaged areas, which can explain her recovery.
Neural regeneration is the growth of new neurons and/or connections to compensate for damaged areas, which can also explain her recovery.
Plasticity allows the brain to cope better with ‘indirect’ effects of brain damage.
Example

Answer 20

For example, swelling or a haemorrhage following a road accident