Plasticity

Question 1

How does plasticity work?

Answer 1

• Information takes a pathway to the brain, travelling from one neuron to the next via synapses,
• When we’re presented with new information, new neural pathways begin to form,
• Using a neural pathway strenghtens it; the more the pathway is used, the stronger the connections between the neurons become,
• if a neural pathway is not used it becomes weaker.

Question 2

Elbert et al. (1995), method

Answer 2

• Nine musicians who played either the violin, cello, or the guitar were compared to six non-musicians,
• A technique called magnetic source imaging was used to measure the area of the somatosensory cortex representing the digits of the left hand of each participant.

Question 3

Elbert et al. (1995), results

Answer 3

• Area of the somatosensory cortex representing digits of the left hand was larger in the stringed instrument players.

Question 4

Elbert et al. (1995), conclusion

Answer 4

• Findings suggest that the increased amount of sensory processing required from the left hands of stringed instrument players results in structural changes in the brain, provides support for plasticity.

Question 5

Elbert et al. (1995), evaluation

Answer 5

• Researchers argue that the increased representation of the left hand digits in the musicians may have been genetic rather than the result of playing an instrument,
• Study used a fairly small sample size; may not be representative.

Question 6

Karni et al. (1995) findings

Answer 6

• used MRI to show that learning and practising a sequence of finger movements over a period of four weeks led to an activation of a larger area of the motor cortex when carrying out the sequence,
• Suggests that some reorganisation had occurred.

Question 7

Nudo et al (1996), method and findings

Answer 7

• Mapped the motor cortex of adult monkeys before and after training in a task which required use of the digits,
• Found that the representation of the digits in the motor cortex increased,
• They then carried out training in a task that mainly used the forearm,
• Found that the forearm representation increased and the digit representation decreased,
• Suggests that plastic changes are continuous and reversible (at least in monkeys).