plasticity

Question 1

what is brain plasticity?

Answer 1

brain’s tendency to change and adapt as a result of experience and new learning, involves growth of new connections

infancy- rapid growth in no. of synaptic connections
2-3 years 15,000 per neuron
twice as many as adult brain

Question 2

what is synaptic pruning?

Answer 2

as we age rarely-used connections deleted and frequently-used strengthened

enables lifelong plasticity where neural connections formed in response to new demands on brain

Question 3

outline Maguire’s research into plasticity (2000)

Answer 3

London taxi drivers brains
significantly more vol of grey matter in posterior hippocampus than control group
associated w development of spatial and navigational skills

their training alters structure of brains

positive correlation between length of time in job and structural differences

Question 4

outline Draganski’s research into blain plasticity (2006)

Answer 4

medical students’ brains 3 months before and after final exams
learning-induced changes occurred in posterior hippocampus and parietal cortex

Question 5

limitation- negative behavioural consequences

Answer 5

Medina- brain adapts to prolonged drug use- poorer cog functioning in later life and increased dementia risk

60-80% amputees develop phantom limb syndrome- continued experience of painful sensations in missing limb as if still there
limb loss- cortical reorganisation in somatosensory cortex

limitation- brain’s ability to adapt to damage not always beneficial, can be harmful

Question 6

strength- life-long ability

Answer 6

generally reduces with age

but Bezzola- 40 hrs golf training changes neural representations of movement in 40-60 yo
fMRI- more motor cortex activity in novice golfers than control
suggests more efficient neural representations after training

strength- plasticity can continue to benefit ppl throughout lives, advantage