Plasitcity & Functional Recovery Of The Brain After Trauma

Question 1

Plasticity meaning:

Answer 1

The brains tendency to change and adapt as a result of experiences and new learning. Involves the growth of new connections.

Question 2

Plasticity A01:

Answer 2

Researcher found that monks who meditated frequently had greater activations of gamma waves than students with no meditation experience. Highlights the idea of plasticity and the brains ability to adapt as a result of new experiences.

Question 3

Functional recovery meaning:

Answer 3

A form of plasticity. After the brain has had damage through trauma, its ability to transfer functions usually performed by a damaged area to other undamaged areas.

Question 4

Functional recovery A01:

Answer 4

Axon sprouting- new nerve endings grow and connect with undamaged areas
Fe formation of blood vessels
Recruitment of homologous (similar) areas on the opposite hemisphere to do specific tasks

Question 5

Plasticity Strength- research support from human studies.

Limitation- research is reductionist

Answer 5

P: research support from human studies
E: researcher studies brains of London taxi drivers using MRI scans, found more grey matter in hippocampus than control group.
E: this part of the brain is associated with development of spatial and navigational skills.
L: shows the hippocampus volume was greater and high levels of plasticity were evident in those with job related experience of spatial navigation
HOWEVER,
Some suggest the research is limited and reductionist as it only examines one biological factor (hippocampus). Doesn’t take into account all the biological/cognitive factors involved in spatial navigation. A holistic approach may be more appropriate

Question 6

Plasticity Strength- animal studies support

Answer 6

P: animal studies support
E/E:found evidence of an increased number of neuron’s in the brains of rats housed in complex environments compared to rats housed in cages
L: suggests one environment can have an effect on the brains ability to changed when it comes to research into plasticity

Question 7

Functional recovery strength: animals studies

However, can’t generalise to humans

Answer 7

P: animals studies
E: randomly assigned rats with traumatic brain injury to one of 2 groups. One group received transplants of stem cells and the other received a placebo solution, they were put in the affected area.
E: 3 months later, brains of stem cell rats showed clear development of neuron like cells in area of injury, not the case for control group.
L: showed support for role played by stem cells in recovering from brain injuries.
HOWEVER,
Animals had been used, so generalising the results to humans when it comes to researching plasticity is difficult.

Question 8

Functional recovery limitation- ability can deteriorate with age

Answer 8

P: ability for function recovery can deteriorate with age
E/E: researcher concluded the capacity for neural reorganisation is much greater in children than adults, meaning it’s less effective in older brains. This may explain why adults find change more demanding
L: individual differences need to be considered