Chapter 6 - Brain Plasticity and Brain Injury

Question 1

Neuroplasticity

Answer 1

the ability of neural networks
in the brain to change as
a result of experience

Question 2

Synaptogenesis

Answer 2

the process of forming new synapses

Question 3

Long-term potentiation

Answer 3

the relatively permanent
strengthening of synaptic connections as a result of repeated activation

Question 4

Long-term depression

Answer 4

the relatively permanent
weakening of synaptic
connections as a result of
repeated low level activation

Question 5

Synaptic pruning

Answer 5

the elimination of unused synapses

Question 6

experience-independent plasticity

Answer 6

a type of plasticity that
involves brain changes that occur regardless of experience

Question 7

experience-expectant plasticity

Answer 7

a type of plasticity that
involves brain development
triggered by specific environmental cues that the
brain expects to encounter at certain times

Question 8

experience-dependent plasticity

Answer 8

a type of plasticity that
involves the unique and
personal brain changes that
take place when different situations occur

Question 9

Rerouting

Answer 9

when healthy nearby neurons create alternative neural pathways when existing connections are lost through injury

Question 10

Sprouting

Answer 10

when existing neurons form
new axon terminals and dendrites to allow new connections to be made

Question 11

Neurodegenerative disease

Answer 11

an incurable condition that involves the progressive death of neurons

Question 12

Acquired brain injury (ABI)

Answer 12

an injury resulting from damage to the brain occurring
after birth, at any time during life

Question 13

Traumatic brain injury (TBI)

Answer 13

an injury that occurs when there is a sudden, physical trauma to the brain from an
external force

Question 14

Aphasia

Answer 14

an acquired language disorder
resulting from damage to the language-processing centres of the brain

Question 15

Wernicke’s aphasia

Answer 15

an acquired language disorder characterised by difficulty comprehending speech and producing meaningful sentences

Question 16

Broca’s aphasia

Answer 16

an acquired language disorder characterised by difficulty producing fluent speech

Question 17

Concussion

Answer 17

a mild form of traumatic brain injury, resulting from an external force to the head or body that causes the brain to bounce inside the skull

Question 18

Stroke

Answer 18

an acquired brain injury involving an interruption to the blood supply in the brain or bleeding in the brain, resulting in deterioration of brain tissue

Question 19

Neurological disorder

Answer 19

any disorder of the nervous
system, including of the brain, spinal cord or nerves

Question 20

Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE)

Answer 20

a neuro degenerative disease linked to repeated impacts to the head

Question 21

Tau protein

Answer 21

a protein required by cells for stability that can malfunction and build up within neurons disrupting important processes and disrupting communication with adjacent neurons

Question 22

Symptoms of stage 1 CTE

Answer 22

Headaches
Inattentive and poor concentration
Mild aggression
Explosivity
Mild memory dysfunction
Mild depressive symptoms
A finite number of isolated clusters of tau protein in specific parts of the brain

Question 23

Symptoms of stage 2 CTE

Answer 23

Cognitive and memory dysfunction increases
Behavioural changes
Aggression increases
Explosivity increases
Depression increases
Suicidality
Multiple clusters of tau protein

Question 24

Symptoms of stage 3 CTE

Answer 24

Cognitive and memory dysfunction
Mild dementia
Executive dysfunction (eg difficulty planning, problem solving, organising, managing time)
Aggression increases
Explosivity increases
Depression increases
Suicidality
Moderate tau deposition
Reduction in brain weight
Mild atrophy of the brain

Question 25

Symptoms of stage 4 CTE

Answer 25

Severe cognitive and memory dysfunction, including language deficits
Severe dementia
Paranoia
Pervasive aggression
Pervasive explosivity
Depression
Suicidality
Motor symptoms, including Parkinson’s disease
Severe tau deposition across most brain regions
Significant decrease in brain weight
Profound global atrophy of the brain due to widespread neuronal loss