Nueroplasticity

Question 1

what is neuroplasticity?

Answer 1

Neuroplasticity is the ability of the brain to change its neural structures in response to a changing environment e.g. using a new skill.

2 components:
- Neural networking- strengthening of synapses and dentitric branching- strengthens pathways often used by brain
- neural pruning- connections removed which are no longer needed

Question 2

what is neural networking?

Answer 2

• the brain stenghthens/develops new neural pathways in responce to changing environment/use of a new skill repeatedly
• Action potential travels down the axon when a nuerone is stimulated
• repeated stimulation- long-term-potentiation
• causes dendritic branching and strenghtening of synaptic connections
• leads to an increase in grey matter

Question 3

what is neural pruning?

Answer 3

• removal of unused synaptic connections
• due to a lack of potentiation as a result of discontinued behaviour
• result of the death of neural cells, production of cortisol, lack of use- change
• refunes neural structure- increase efficiency

Question 4

what supports neuroplasticity?

Answer 4

Maguire et al (2000)
AIM- investigate if extensive use of spatial navigation changes the brain’s structure
METHOD- MRI scans were made and analysed from an experimental group consisted of 16 right-handed male taxi drivers, and a control group consisted of 50 right handed male non-taxi drivers.
RESULTS- increase in grey matter was found in brains of the taxi drivers,
Positive correlation between volume of right posterior hippocampus and time spent as a taxi driver.
CONCLUSION- evidence for structural differences between hippocampi- suggests extensive spacial navigation affects hippocampus, brain can change in response to environmental demands- spatial navigation is localised to the right posterior hippocampus.

Question 5

what study supports neural networking?

Answer 5

Maguire et al (2000)
AIM- investigate if extensive use of spatial navigation changes the brain’s structure
METHOD- MRI scans were made and analysed from an experimental group consisted of 16 right-handed male taxi drivers, and a control group consisted of 50 right handed male non-taxi drivers.
RESULTS- increase in grey matter was found in brains of the taxi drivers,
Positive correlation between volume of right posterior hippocampus and time spent as a taxi driver.
CONCLUSION- evidence for structural differences between hippocampi- suggests extensive spacial navigation affects hippocampus, brain can change in response to environmental demands- spatial navigation is localised to the right posterior hippocampus.

Question 6

what study supports neural pruning?

Answer 6

Draganski (2004)
- A- investigate how learning a new skill (juggling) would alter the structure of the brain.
- M- 24 non-jugglers given an MRI scan for comparison- exp. gr. taught to juggle- once mastered, MRI x2- analysed with voxel-based morphometry- 3 months later MRI x3
- R- after 2nd scan VBM saw increase in density of grey matter in the mid-temporal lobe- juggling localised here- After 3rd scan VBM saw it had again decreased- demonstrates neural pruning
- C- Neural pruning is a result of inactivity of neural connections.