Neuroplasticity and Motor Learning Flashcards
Long-term potentiation
**“Neurons that fire together wire together”
Strengthening of connections between neurons that has been established over a prolonged period of time
Long-term depression
Reduced synaptic strength established over a period of time
Ex) Change habits of using more compensatory patterns and rely more on more normal movements
Synaptic effectiveness
Baseline synapse strength that returns following resolution of inflammation
Denervation hypersensitivity
Increase in receptors on post-synaptic neuron
Synaptic hypereffectiveness
Increase neurotransmitter release in pre-synaptic axon terminals after damage causing increased stimulations of post-synaptic receptors
Unmasking silent synapses
Previously unused synapses come to life and become active after damage to other pathways
Collateral axonal sprouting
Intact pre-synaptic neurons re-innervate post-synaptic neuron after death of its original pre-synaptic neuron
Regenerative axonal sprouting
Injured pre-synaptic neurons sprouts to connect with a new post-synatpric neuron
Performance
An observable behavior that doesn’t ensure permanent ability/skill
Discrete movement
Beginning and end (squats, grasping an object, LAQs)
Serial movement
Series of discrete tasks combined (Stand-pivot transfers, walking to chair and sitting)
Continuous movement
No distinct beginning and end (walking, cycling swimming)
Non-declarative (implicit)
- Doesn’t require conscious awareness or attention
- Repetition
- Reflexive and automatic (texting on the phone)
Declarative (explicit)
- Can be consciously recalled and requires awareness and attention
- Involves association with people, things, experiences (teaching grandma how to text)
Cognitive/novice
- New to task
- High variability in performance
- Co-contraction used
- Requires cognition and attention
- Many errors
**Closed environment with mass/blocked practice
Associative/advanced
- Determined most appropriate technique = improved efficiency
- Less co-contraction due to addition of degrees of freedom
**Practice more random with introduction of open environment, fading of feedback
Autonomous/expert
- Automatic, able to perform in a variety of environments
- Less attention to detail
**Open environment with random practice, feedback is summative or bandwidth
Part practice
Better for serial tasks
Whole practice
Better for continuous/discrete tasks
Distributed tasks
Rest > practice
**Continuous tasks
Massed practice
Practice > rest
**Discrete tasks and tasks of novelty
Low variability vs high variability
Low - improves performance
High - causes poor performance but promote task transfer and retention
Blocked practice
Predictable
Used in cognitive/novice stage
Random practice
Unpredictable
Used in associative/advanced stage
Knowledge of performance
- Information about details of movement/tasks
- Cues to encourage the learner to “feel” the tasks
Knowledge of results
- Regards to amount of the goal achieved
- If you succeeded or failed
- *Improved retention with this form of feedback
Constant feedback
- Used of cognitive/novice stage
Variable feedback
- Provided after varying numbers of trials for less predictability
- Greater opportunity for retention due to ability to self-correct
