Biopsychology - Plasticity And Functional Recovery

Question 1

Plasticity in the brain

Answer 1

Brain change and adapt result of experiences and new learning

Question 2

+ Maguire’s et al

Answer 2

Taxi drivers had a large volume of grey matter in hippocampus than average was larger in those who had been taxi drivers for longer compared to control group

Question 3

— plasticity

Answer 3

Prolonged drug use can reduce cognitive function

Question 4

Maguire el al method

Answer 4

Method
MRI scan
16 right handed male London taxi drivers all with more than 15 years of experience

Right handed males were scanned who didn’t have driver taxis were included control group

Question 5

Limitation of Maguire et als research

Answer 5

Correlational can’t show causation between amount of time spent as a taxi driver and volume in grey matter

Someone may go into taxi driving because they have started with large volume of grey matter instead of developing it

Question 6

Brain redistribution of function

Answer 6

Axonal sprouting neurons new growth to connect to adjacent neurons nearby

• brain redistributed function to undamaged areas of the brain
• neuronal unmasking refers to dormant neuron’s become active

Question 7

Constraint induced therapy

Answer 7

Force them to use the damaged area to build those skills

Question 8

Phineas gage - recovery

Answer 8

Iron bar shot through his head through the frontal lobe within a few minutes he was able to talk and walk long term physical recovered and mentally with slight memory loss

Question 9

Synaptic pruning

Answer 9

Synapses used frequently become stronger unused synaptic connections are lost

Question 10

Plasticity steps

Answer 10

Neurons connected by synapses with information travelling between neurons

New information results in new formation of new neuronal pathways

Repeated use pathways become stronger not connections decrease - synaptic pruning

Question 11

Factors affecting functional recovery

Answer 11

Age Children recovery quicker
Gender Woman are more likely to recover from brain damage

Question 12

Surgical solution to help with brain damage

Answer 12

• stem cells can also be used to replace brain cells

Question 13

Danelli et al

Answer 13

Case study 2 and a half years old had left side of his brain removed due to tumour - wernicke and Broca’s area - language

After surgery she lost language ability two years recovery his language ability

Right hemisphere took on functions of the left hemisphere supporting brain can adapt to trauma in early life

Question 14

+ practical application

Answer 14

Brain plasticity research and functional recovery has developed rehabilitation therapy

Question 15

• idiographic hard to generalise

Answer 15

Based on mostly case study research we all have individual differences in the way our brain reacts to trauma