Neuroplasticity

Question 1

what is neuroplasticity?

Answer 1

1) It was believed that the brain was done growing and changing at a certain age.

2) later, it was proven that the brain continues to grow and change

3) the ability of the brain to adapt to environmental changes is called NEUROPLASTICITY

4) It occurs by neural branching–> forming connections between neurons due to repetition and practice.

Question 2

STUDY 1

Answer 2

Maguire et al

Question 3

STUDY 2

Answer 3

Draganski et al

Question 4

Aim

Answer 4

to see whether learning a new skill in this case juggling, would have an effect on the brains of participants

Question 5

Procedure

Answer 5

+ 24 participants - aged 20-24 yrs old
+ 21 females and 3 males
+ all of them were non-jugglers at the start of the study
+ each participants had an mri scan at the start of the study to serve as a base rate for grey matter and brain structure.

+ they were allocated in 1 of 2 groups–> jugglers and non-jugglers
+ those that were in the jugglers group were taught a simple 3 ball juggling routine
+ they were asked to practise the routine for 3 months
+ at that point, the 2nd brain scan was taken
+ they were then asked not to practise juggling for 3 months and the 3rd brain scan took place after.
+ the non-jugglers group lived their daily lives and had the brain scans were taken on the same schedule

Question 6

Results

Answer 6

1) comparison taken at the start showed no difference

2) during 2nd scan comparison–> juggler group had significantly more grey matter in areas of the cortex but mostly the mid-temporal area in both hemispheres (associated with coordination of movement)

3) 3rd brain scan–> the differences in scans decreased but the amount of grey matter in the mid temporal areas of the jugglers was still greater than at the time of the 1st scan

4) correlation was seen between juggling performance and amount of change –> brain changes were more prominent in participants who practised more.

Question 7

Conclusion

Answer 7

As one learns a new skill like juggling, certain parts of the brain grow in size. if one fails to practise the areas of the brain shrink

Question 8

Evaluation

Answer 8

+ causal relationship
+ control group used
-sample size small
- external validity low because environment could not be controlled