Plasticity

Question 1

Plasticity

Answer 1

Brains ability to change and adapt as a result of experience and learning - involves growth of new connections

Question 2

Synaptic pruning

Answer 2

Process of frequently used connections being strengthened and rarely-used connections being deleted

Question 3

Study

Answer 3

• Maguire
• London taxi drivers
• Significantly more grey matter in the posterior hippocampus than a matched control group
• Associated with spatial and navigational skills
• Longer they had been a driver the more pronounced the structural difference

Question 4

Negative plasticity

Answer 4

• prolonged drug use = poorer cognitive function + dementia
• 60-80% of amputees develop phantom limb
• plasticity not always beneficial

Question 5

Age and plasticity

Answer 5

• life-long ability
• 40-60 year old did 40hrs of golf training
• fMRI observed increased motor cortex activity in ptp. compared to a control

Question 6

Animal support

Answer 6

• seasonal brain volume changes
• SCN regulates sleep/wake shrinks in all animals during spring and expands in autumn
• However may not be generalisable

Question 7

Ninjas Always Attack

Answer 7

Negative
Age
Animal