Neural plasticity Flashcards
Neural plasticity
the ability of the brain’s neural structure and function to be changed by experience through the lifespan
what parts of the cerebral cortex have a high level of plasticity and why?
sensory and motor cortex because they are used more often
what guides, sustains and maintains the details of our brain?
experience
Who has more plasticity; children or adults
children - they can recover more quickly from brain damage due to the greater plasticity of their brain
what type of plasticity do children have that adults don’t?
developmental and adaptive, adults only have adaptive
synaptic plasticity
the ability of the synapse to change over time
how do changes in the synapse occur?
through growth or formation of new connections that strengthen the synapse
through lack of stimulation of synaptic connections that weaken or eliminate the synapse
what happens to the neural connections and pathways when we learn?
they modify
how do new networks or pathways form and strengthen?
through use during the learning and memory formation process
- this makes the communication across a connection and along a pathway easier next time
based on which parts are overused and underused, what can the brain do?
reorganise and reassign its neural connections and pathways
what happens when neurotransmitters are repeatedly sent across the synaptic gap?
pre-synaptic and post-synaptic neurons are repeatedly activated at the same time
- this strengthens the connections between two neurons
- makes the neurons more likely to fire together again and to transmit their signals more forcibly and efficiently in the future
Hebbian theory
neurons that fire together, wire together
neurons that do not fire together weaken their connections
