Biopsychology: Brain Plasticity and Functional Recovery Flashcards
Define brain plasticity:
The brains tendency to change and adapt as a result of experience and new learning.
Who done research into brain plasticity:
Maguire
Explain Maguires research into brain plasticity:
- Studied the brains of London taxi drivers
- Found significantly more volume of grey matter in the posterior hippocampus than in a matched control group.
- That area was used for navigational and spacial awareness.
What is functional recovery?
(A form of brain plasticity)
Damage through trauma the brain is able to redistribute functions performed by the damaged areas to undamaged areas.
What are the 3 main aspects of functional recovery?
- Axonal sprouting
- Denervation sensitivity
- Recruitment of homologous areas in the other hemisphere.
Explain axonal sprouting in functional recovery:
The growth of new nerve endings which connect with other undamaged nerve cells to form neuronal pathways.
Explain denervation sensitivity in functional recovery:
When axons that do a similar job become aroused to a higher level to compensate for the ones that are lost.
(Can cause hypersensitivity to messages e.g. pain)
Explain recruitment of homologous areas in the other hemisphere in functional recovery:
Areas on the opposite area are recruited to help compensate for the functions in the lost areas.
What are the 3 evaluation points for brain plasticity:
- Negative plasticity (L)
- Age and plasticity (S)
- Seasonal brain changes (S)
Explain negative plasticity (L) as an evaluation point for brain plasticity:
- Plasticity may have negative behavioural consequences.
- Evidence shows that the brains adaptation to prolonged drug use leads to poorer cognitive functioning later in life
- Phantom Limb syndrome - Amputees experience painful sensations in the missing limb due to cortical reorganisation in the somatosensory cortex.
Explain age and plasticity (S) as an evaluation point for brain plasticity:
- Plasticity may be a life-long ability
- Plasticity tends to decrease with age
- Evidence shows how 40 hours of golf training produced changes in the neural representations of movement in participants aged 40-60 compared to a control group.
- Shows neural plasticity can continue throughout the lifespan.
Explain seasonal brain changes (S) as an evaluation point for brain plasticity:
- Research suggests that seasonal plasticity may occur in response to environmental changes
- E.g. SCN shrinks in animals during spring and expands through autumn
Counterpoint:
- Evidence is from animals not humans = cannot extrapolate findings
What are the three evaluation points for functional recovery?
- Real world application (S)
- Cognitive reserve (L)
- Insufficient further research (L)
Explain Real world application (S) as an evaluation point for functional recovery:
- Functional recovery research has real world applications
- Aided in the development of neurorehabilitation- understanding axon growth encourages new therapies to be tried. e.g. constraint-induced movement therapy for stroke patients
- Helps medical professionals know when interventions need to be made
Explain cognitive reserve (L) as an evaluation point for functional recovery:
- Level of education may influence recovery rates.
- Research shows that the more time people with a brain injury spent in education (indication of their cognitive reserve) , the greater their chances of a disability-free recovery (DFR).
- 40% people who had a DFR had 14 years of education, 10% of people who had a DFR had 12< years of education.
