Brain plasticity

Question 1

What is the common misconception about brain plasticity?

Answer 1

That the human brain is determined purely by biological factors

Question 2

What is brain plasticity?

Answer 2

The fact that the brain is capable of changing during our lifetime

Question 3

what happens to synapses as we get older?

Answer 3

2/3 years old - double the amount of an adult
As we get older, synapses that are rarely used will be ‘cancelled’ and frequently used synapses become stronger

Question 4

what is synaptic pruning?

Answer 4

frequently used neural pathways are stronger
rarely used neural pathways are ‘cancelled’

Question 5

What research can back up brain plasticity?

Answer 5

Maguire et al (2006) - MRI scans of bus and cab drivers in London - cab drivers had more grey matter/neural activity on their hippocampus as they have more routes to remember so their brains have adapted to remember this better

Question 6

what are the strengths of brain plasticity?

Answer 6

More evidence to support (Davidson et al 2004) - Tibetan monks - higher reliability
Useful implications- applied to improve brain behaviour - highlights the value