Neuroplasticity and cognitive rehab

Question 1

Define neuroplasticity, neuropathic pain

Answer 1

• The brains capacity to change following experience. “experience dependent change”
• Neuropathic pain is cause by a lesion or disease of the somatosensory nervous system

Question 2

Identify two principles of neuroplasticity and name evidence for each

Answer 2

• Age: Rats in complex house, infants have less elders have more.
• brain area: Rates take amphetamine, spine density in OFC decreases, mPFC spine density increases.

Question 3

discuss 3 example of the plasticity of cortical maps and an example of plastic changes to the cortex in the absence of visual input

Answer 3

1. Use: Reading braille increases sensory representation of the reading finger.
2. Overuse: Focal dystonia - disorder involving involuntary muscle movements and postures of an overused body part
3. After Injury:
   the phantom limb phenomenon is likely related to cortical map reorganization.

• In children born blind, primary visual cortex assumes non-visual functions.

Question 4

define central sensitzation and name three manifestations of this

Answer 4

Central sensitization is a plastic change in pain processing in the central nervous cyctem resulting in
1. Allodynia - pain in response to usually non-painful stimuli
2. Primary Hyperalgesia - already painful sensitization becomes more painful.
3. Secondary hyperalgesia - Hyperalgesia in areas outside of the original injury.

Question 5

describe cognitive rehabilitation therapy - what is it, what are some potential areas of application, how does it relate to the idea of plasticity

Answer 5

1. Treatments thar aim to improve cognitive functioning through the combined action of compensation, plasticity, and recovery.
2. attention deficits after TBI, visual scanning after neglect…