Neuroplasticity

Question 1

Function

Answer 1

Complex activity to perform a behaviour task e.g brush your teeth

Question 2

What does the body do if injury occurs

Answer 2

It compensates and makes us feel more comfortable e.g limping

Question 3

How much is the brain plastic

Answer 3

We learn to adapt and change to different stimulus and if one method doesn’t work the brain can remodel and find another method

Question 4

How does neuro plasticity occur

Answer 4

Human CNS very adaptive and can respond to patterns of use as the brain can recognise neural pathways and electrical conductivity and forms neuroplasticity

Question 5

What is neuroplasticity

Answer 5

A reorganisation in learning memory and recovering from injury

We have to practice to reinforce the adaptations in order to achieve neural pathways and synaptic connections = eg sport

Use it or lose it

Question 6

What are the types of recovery after brain damage

Answer 6

Spontaneous recovery- first

Functional recovery

Cerebal cortex can undergo structural and functional adaptations

Brain changes are activity driven

Question 7

Response to CNS damage

Cellular/behavioural

Answer 7

Primary cell death first 5 mins(necrotic and apoptotic cell death cascades)

Inflammation (destructive and neuroprotective rules)- need to manage to reduce severity

Axonal degeneration

Secondary cell death 2-7 days post injury = can lead to more damage than primary damage.
(transneuronal degeneration)- over stimulation MDA receptors extoroxicty occurs which leads to more damage

Formation of glial scar

Functional disturbance caused by

> Actual cell death
Diaschisis- sudden loss of function due to shock occuring

Question 8

Damage to axon

Answer 8

Not only affects the injured neuron but also it’s synaptic neurons and neighbouring cells

Wallerian degeneration= going forwards from that area of damage

Retrograde degeneration= goingb backwards from area of degeneration

Myelin degenerate lose synaptic connection

Cell body= chromatosis pre synaptic terminals withdraw and are wrapped in glial process= scarring

Question 9

What happens when atrophy occurs

Answer 9

Atrophy occurs transneural degeneration this propagates through the the circuit in both wallerain and retrograde methods= chain reaction

Results in CNS damage

Question 10

Formation of glial scar

Answer 10

Fibrous astrocytes reactive glyosis and connective tissues

Scar = barrier prevent connections and new synapses occurring preventing neuro regeneration

Functional disturbance resulting in cell death

Question 11

Functional recovery

Answer 11

How we can modify inflammation

Prevent scarring

Providing good stimulation brain derivative neurotrophic factor= produces good new neural tissue

Question 12

Functional recovery

Mechanisms

Answer 12

Resolution of a cute tissue damage

Behavioural compensation

Experience dependent near a place to stay

Alteration in membrane excitability

Gross leading to no signup tick connections

Brain derived neurotrophic factor

GlioGenesis

Neurogenesis

Synaptogenesis

Angiogenesis

On masking off latent synaptic connections

Removal of inhibition

Question 13

Neuro compensation

Answer 13

Avoiding damage within the system

If the compensation the patient is employing leads to them achieving their goal then they won’t look for another method and this could lead to them preventing recovery in areas of the brain

Can be helpful and unhelpful due to learned unuse

Question 14

Brain derivative neurotrophic factor

Answer 14

Helps stimulate growth of new connections

Question 15

GlioGenesis

Answer 15

Formation astrocytes oligodendrocytes microglail

Need these to form the structure for new process to occur

Question 16

Neurogenesis

Answer 16

New neurons being formed

Question 17

Synaptogenesis

Answer 17

New synaptic connections being formed between neurones

Question 18

Angiogenesis

Answer 18

Formation of your blood supply

Question 19

Unmasking latent synaptic connections

Answer 19

These new processes need to occur in order for this to take place and removoval of inhibition need to happen so new areas of the brain can be used

Question 20

Is it possible to implement neuro plasticity in order to optimise functional recovery

Answer 20

Physical activity within a rich sensory environment can facilitate brain reorganisation

Input/output

Use dependent functional reorganisation

Human evidence for therapy and induced changes in brain activity is growing and therefore plasticity is dependent on activity

Question 21

What are other factors that influence rate recovery

Answer 21

Gender
Motivation
Health conditions
Fitness levels
Diet

Question 22

What techniques encourage neuroplasticity

Answer 22

Combination

Question 23

Optimum timing of treatment intervention

Answer 23

Early is best

Within 24 hrs

Especially in stroke = early in acute stage

Question 24

Treatment intensity and frequency

Answer 24

More is better

Often patients under active= in a hospital bed

Question 25

Why do some patients do better than others and can we reliably predict the outcome

Answer 25

Variable factors and no

Question 26

The aim of neuro rehabilitation

Answer 26

Decrease impact of primary impairment + prevent secondary complications = promote physical independence and autonomy and reduce disability

Question 27

Summary

Answer 27

The human CNS is plastic in form and function

Following a lesion in the development of compensatory movement strategies is normal this can be both useful but also detrimental to recovery

Functional reorganisation appears to be activity dependent

Rehab therapist can facilitate functional recovery by prescribing appropriately graded tasks and exercise

New treatment approaches need to be evidence-based