Biopysch: Plasticity

Question 1

Research into plasticity

Answer 1

The number of neural connections in the brain peaks at around 15,000 at 2-3 years old
Pruning - as we get older, less used pathways are deleted and more often use ones strengthen.

Question 2

Maguire et al (2000) study

Answer 2

London Taxi drivers who take the ‘knowledge’ test. Their posterior hippocampi were structurally different (more grey matter) after sitting the test. This part of the hippocampus is responsible for spatial & navigational memory.
A positive correlation between the length of time in the job and the level of structural change

Question 3

Draganski et al (2006) study

Answer 3

Medical students before and after their exams - their posterior hippocampi and parietal lobes were structurally different.

Question 4

The processes that take place during functional recovery

Answer 4

• Secondary neural pathways are ‘unmasked’
• Axonal sprouting - new nerve axons & terminals grow which create new pathways
• Blood vessels reform improving oxygen supply to damaged areas
• Similar areas in the opposite hemisphere take over functions

Question 5

Evaluation: Strength

Answer 5

Practical application - rehabilitative therapy for brain trauma patients, recovering cognitive or behaviour deficits by electrical stimulation or movement therapy.

Question 6

Evaluation: weakness

Answer 6

Helped understand some negatives - prolonged drug use can lead to structural changes e.g degrading of grey matter (higher risk of dementia) this is due to reorganisation of the brain.

Question 7

Evaluation: weakness

Answer 7

reorganisation of the brain declines with age. However Bezzola et al demonstrated motor cortex reorganisation in 40-60 yr olds after 40 hours of golf training

Question 8

Evaluation: weakness

Answer 8

Individual differences in terms of education. Schneider et al found the more time patients spent in education, the greater their chances of a disability-free recovery.