Functional recovery after trauma

Question 1

Functional recovery

Answer 1

Functional recovery is an important part of neural plasticity; it involves ability of the brain to recover loss of function after brain damage

Neuronal unmasking
Sprouting
Recruitment
Re-routing
Denervation super-sensiyivity

Question 2

Neuronal unmasking

Answer 2

‘dormant’ synapses that exist but are blocked, are revealed and open connections to compensate for a nearby damaged area of brain

this allows new connections in the brain to be activated,

thus recovering any damage occurring in specific regions

Question 3

Sprouting

Answer 3

Nerve fibres grow, become bushier and make new connections, enabling communication despite localised damage

Question 4

AO3: Lim maladaptive cons

Answer 4

limitation of brains ability to rewire itself is it can have maladaptive consequences

eg, phantom limb syndrome is feeling of sensations in a limb that has been removed

occurs due to reorganisation of neurons in somatosensory cortex in which neighbouring active regions take over inactive regions of cortex

demonstrates functional recovery isn’t always positive as many sensations experienced as part of phantom limb syndrome are painful

Question 5

AO3: Lim Age

Answer 5

Acc to this view, only option following traunmatic brain injury beyond childhood is to develop compensatory behavioural strategies to help

but studies have suggested that it can still be modified in adults w intense training

But neural reorganisation is bettwer in children