Biopsychology: Plasticity & Functional Recovery 2024 - 2025 Flashcards
Key Term Focus
What is meant by plasticity?
The brains ability to change and adapt it’s structures and processes
AO1 Focus
What is meant by synaptic pruning?
Where weaker or unused synaptic connections are ‘deleted’
AO1 Focus
What causes synaptic pruning to occur?
Not using synaptic connections
AO1 Focus
When can synaptic pruning occur?
At any point in life
AO1 Focus
What happens to neural pathways which are used often
They are strengthened
AO1 Focus
What happens to neural pathways which are not used?
They are ‘deleted’
AO1 Focus
What is meant by functional recovery
The brain recovering abilities and mental processes after damage
AO1 Focus
What are two types of functional recovery?
- Axonal sprouting
- Recruitment of homologous
AO1 Focus
Which type of plasticity refers to the brain ‘deleting’ neural pathways?
Synaptic pruning
AO1 Focus
Which type of plasticity refers to the brain recovering abilities after loss due to damage?
Functional recovery
AO1 Focus
What is meant by axonal sprouting?
Where axons grow new nerve endings to reconnect damaged neurons
AO2 Focus
What 5 factors affect recovery from trauma?
- Perserverance
- Age
- Gender
- Education
- Stress (& Alcohol)
AO1 Focus
What is meant by recruitment of homologous areas?
Where areas of the opposite side of the brain take over the function from the damaged area
AO2 Focus
How can perserverance affect recovery?
More perseverance (effort) a person shows, the more likely they are to recover
AO2 Focus
How can age affect recovery from trauma?
Younger people more likely to recover from trauma than older people
AO2 Focus
How can gender affect recovery from trauma?
Females are more likely to recover than males
AO2 Focus
How can education affect recovery?
More time spent in education, more likely to recover from trauma
AO2 Focus
How can stress (& alcohol) affect recovery?
More stress, less likely to recover
AO3 Focus
What was done to Patient EB?
This will form the first E of your PEEL
His left hemisphere was removed - so therefore his language centres
This will form the first E of your PEEL
AO3 Focus
After some time, what happened to Patient EB?
This will form the second E of your PEEL
He regained some language abilities
This will form the second E of your PEEL
AO3 Focus
What type of plasticity did EB experience?
Recruitment of homologous areas
AO3 Focus
Why does EB support plasticity and functional recovery?
His brain could produce langauge without his left hemisphere
DISCUSSION Focus
How can the research on Patient EB be criticised?
Low population validity
DISCUSSION Focus
Why does the study of EB lack population validity?
This will be the first E of your discussion PEEL
Case study - only involves one person
This will be the first E of your discussion PEEL
DISCUSSION Focus
As EB was a study of one person, what does it make it more difficult to do? Why?
This will be part of your second E of your PEEL
- Generalise to the target population
- As different genders or age groups may experience different levels of plasticity
This will be part of your second E of your PEEL
AO3 Focus
What practical applications have been developed because of research into plasticity of the brain?
Neurorehabilitation
AO3 Focus
What ideas / concepts from research into plasticity have been used to develop neurorehabilitation as a practical application?
This will form the first E of your PEEL
It is possible for an individuals brain to recover from damage
AO3 Focus
How does neurorehabilitation work?
This will form part of your second E of your PEEL
The patient repeatedly uses the affected side of their body so they can regain function
AO3 Focus
What did Maguire’s do?
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Studied the brains of London taxi drivers
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AO3 Focus
What did Magurie find in the brains of London taxi drivers?
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Those who had been a taxi driver for a long time had a greater volume of grey matter in areas linked to spatial and navigation tasks (posterior hippocampus)
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AO3 Focus
In which area of the brain did Maguire find greater volume of grey matter in London taxi drivers?
Posterior hippocampus
AO3 Focus
Why does Maguire support the concept of plasticity?
This will form the Link of your PEEL
Suggests change in the structure of the brain was altered by experience
This will form the Link of your PEEL
AO1 Focus
What are two examples of plasticity in the brain?
- Synaptic pruning
- Functional recovery
