plasticity

Question 1

what is plasticity also known as

Answer 1

neuroplasticity and cortical remapping

Question 2

what does plasticity mean

Answer 2

brains ability to change and adapt in both function and physical structure as a result of experience and learning

Question 3

as we grow older what happens to our synaptic connections

Answer 3

the rarely used synapses get deleted, 15,000, the ones we use all the time get strengthened- SO SYNAPTIC PRUNING

Question 4

functional recovery after trauma

Answer 4

unaffected areas of the brain are able to adapt and compensate for those areas that are damaged- an example of neural plasticity

Question 5

does functional recovery need to happen quickly

Answer 5

YES, known as spontaneous recovery, this slows down over time so patient needs to seek therapy

Question 6

axonal sprouting

Answer 6

new nerve endings grows and connect with undamaged nerve cells to form new neural pathways

Question 7

steps to functional recovery

Answer 7

1) forming of new synaptic connections (requires close to damaged areas, so the secondary pathways are unmarked)
2) axonal sprouting
3) neural reorganisation

Question 8

neural reorganisation

Answer 8

similar areas on the opposite hemisphere can do those tasks
- if Broca’s area was damaged on left, then the equivalent area in the right hemisphere would take on the functions instead