brain plasticity & functional recovery Flashcards
what does the term “brain plasticity” refer to?
describes the brains tendency to change and adapt as a result of experience and new learning. Involves the growth of new connections
when does the brain reach its peak when forming new neural connections? how many synaptic connections form?
during infancy, the brain experiences a rapid growth in the number of synaptic connections it has, peaking it around 15,000 per neutron at 2-3 years old. This is about twice as much as an adult brain
what is synaptic pruning?
rarely used connections are deleted and frequently used connections are strengthened as we get older. This enables life long plasticity
what is functional recovery?
a form of plasticity. Following damage through trauma, the brains ability to redistribute or transfer functions usually performed by damaged areas to other undamaged areas
how does the brain rewire itself after damage?
by forming new synaptic connections
what happens to secondary neural pathways when the brain is rewiring itself?
secondary neural pathways that wouldn’t typically be used carry out certain functions are activated or ‘unmasked’ to enable functioning to continue, often in the same way as before
what is axonal sprouting?
the growth of new nerve endings which connect with undamaged nerve cells to form new neural pathways
what is denervation supersensitivity?
this occurs when axons that do a similar job become aroused to a higher level to compensate for ones that are lost. However it can have the negative consequence of oversensitivity to messages such as pain
what is recruitment of homologous areas?
This means that specific tasks can still be performed by recruiting homologous areas on the opposite side of the brain. An example would be if brocas area was damaged on the left, the right side equivalent would carry out its functions. After a period of time, functionality may shift back into the left
what is a limitation of plasticity? (drug use)
it may have negative behavioural consequences. Evidence has shown that the brains adaption to prolonged drug use leads to poorer cognitive functioning in later life. This is a limitation as it suggests that brain adaptation may not always be beneficial
what is a strength of plasticity? (life)
it may be a life long ability. In general, plasticity reduces with age, however a study completed proved that 40 hours of golf training for novices aged 40-60 produced changes in neural representations of movement meaning new connections had formed. This shows that neural plasticity can continue throughout a persons lifespan
what is a strength of functional recovery? (real world)
functional recovery has real-world application. Understanding the process of plasticity has contributed to the field of neurorehabilitation. EG understanding axonal growth has encouraged new types of therapy to be tried, such as using the affected part of the body repeatedly whilst the unaffected areas are restrained to try and regain neural connections. this shows that research into FR is useful as it helps medical professionals know when interventions need to be made
what is a limitation of functional recovery? (education)
level of education may influence recovery rates. A study revealed that the more time people with a brain injury spent in education, the greater the chances they have a disability free recovery. This would imply that people with less education would make a full recovery which may cause the patient themselves to lose hope and give up trying things like therapies and rehabilitations
