Biopsychology-Plasticity

Question 1

What is brain plasticity?

Answer 1

The brain changing and adapting because of experience e.g. driving, playing video games (increasing grey matter video games)

Question 2

How does plasticity work?

Answer 2

1) -Information takes a pathway through the brain travelling to one neuron to the next via the synapse
2) -When presented with new info, new neural pathways begin
3) -Frequently used connections strengthened in process known as synaptic pruning

Question 3

What is synaptic pruning?

Answer 3

In infancy, our brain experiences rapid growth in number of synaptic connections- as we age rarely used connections are deleted and frequently used connections are strengthened

Question 4

What is a study to support plasticity?

Answer 4

Maguire et al (2000)
-Found number of years black taxi drivers worked for, they compared grey matter to control group; found taxi drivers had two brain areas with increased grey matter compared to ordinary person

-Results support idea of brain plasticity occurring due to experience- experience can change the structure of the brain

Question 5

What are the negatives of theory of plasticity?

Answer 5

Prolonged drug use leading to poorer cognitive function and old age being associated with dementia- both due to changes in the brain