Neuroplasticity and strategies to improve motor function - Lecture #1 Flashcards
What is neuroplasticity?
The brain’s ability to reorganize itself so it forms new neural connection
Due to:
- training response
- practice
- to compensate for injury or disease
What is neurogenesis?
Continous generation of new neurons in certain brain regions
How are new neural connections created?
New skills and experiences
What assists with strengthening synapses?
Repetition and practice
Neuroplasticity can take place when changes occur in what?
- characterisitcs of dendritic spines
- Properties of membrane and ion channels
- Hormonal activity
- Microglia activity
- DNA regulation and transcription
- Neurotransmitters
How is neuroplasticity created with motor learning?
- repetition (need to repeat)
- neuroadaptive (able to adapt)
- engaging (attention)
- rewarding (worth it)
What is neuroadaptive?
Task parameters to be constantly modified
How do we engage motor learning to increase neuroplasticity?
Constant task difficulty adjustments (learn by making it hard)
What do we engage for the motor learning system?
- dopaminergic reward system
- noradrenergic detection system
Task-specific intervention requires what?
- Extensive practice of a specific task
- emphasizes functional mobility task
- practice over everything
- changing: task, environment, difficulty — progress when needed
What is motor control?
The ability to regulate the mechanism that is essential to movement
Second to second
Minute to minute control of a muscle
What is motor skill?
Actions that require the body, head and limb movements to achieve a goal
- skill assumes both control and coordination
What is motor learning?
Gaining new skills needed to plan and do a desired movement pattern for a task
- Day to Day
- Week to week control of the muscles to do an activity
- Motor control over time
Describe performance
Doing a skill at a specific time and situation
What is open loop?
Does not use feedback
Control center provides all the info for effectors to carry out movement
No feed back to keep the movement going
What is closed loop?
uses feedback
control center issues information to effectors = enough to initiate movements
Needs feedback to keep or stop movement
What is the cognitive stage?
- Understanding the task and developing strategies
- Large amount of attention
“What to do?”
Instructive
What is associative stage?
- Select the best strategy for the task -> refine skill
- some attention still required
“How to do”
Reinforcement
- Use dependent
What is autonomous stage?
- skills becoming automatic
- low degree of attention needed
“How to succeed”
Sensorimotor adaption
- use dependent
What is the PT’s role to increase motor function?
- Know the patient’s strengths and limitation
- Develop a collaborative PoC that has goals and outcomes to match pt personal needs
How do tasks affect movement?
Types of goals/nature
Changable elements
Attributes such as:
- mobility
- stability
- skill
What are some personal characteristics that affect movement?
Cognition
Sensation/perception
Motor function
Impairments
Comorbidities/complications
Overall health status
How does the environment affect movement?
Physical features:
- regulatory (stable)
- nonregulatory (unstable)
Social resources
What is the first level of the neurorehab intervention?
Restorative interventions = promote and restore optimal functional capacity
