plasticity

Question 1

brain plasticity

Answer 1

The brain’s ability to change and adapt as a result of experience.
New neuronal connections can be formed and old ones removed.

Question 2

childhood

Answer 2

In childhood, the brain is highly plastic.
This plasticity enables infants and children to quickly learn new skills, adapt to their environment, and recover from brain injury. Neuroplasticity reduces with age, but still remains.

Question 3

synaptic pruning

Answer 3

Unused pathways are removed, commonly used pathways are strengthened, and new pathways can be formed.

Question 4

functional recovery after trauma

Answer 4

Following physical injury or other forms of trauma such as a stroke, areas of the brain which are unaffected are often able to adapt and compensate for those areas that are damaged.
Healthy brains may take over the functions of those areas that are damaged, destroyed or even missing. Neuroscientists suggest that this process can occur spontaneously and then slows down which is when the individual may need rehabilitative therapy.
The brain is able to rewire and reorganise itself by forming new synaptic connections close to the area of damage.

Question 5

axonal sprouting

Answer 5

Damage to the axon of a neuron can break its connections to neighbouring neurons.
When this happens, the neighbouring intact neurons may grow extra nerve endings to reconnect with these damaged neurons.

Question 6

recruitment

Answer 6

Recruitment of similar areas on the opposite side of the brain. For example if Broca’s area was damaged on the left side of the brain, the right sided equivalent would carry out its functions. In time the functionality may move back to the left side.

Question 7

AO3 - strength

Answer 7

Other areas of the brain adapt to take over the function of damaged areas: For example, researchers describes conducted a case study on a boy who had his entire left hemisphere removed at age 2. As language function is primarily localised in this hemisphere, the boy was initially unable to speak. However, his language skills recovered after 2 years, suggesting the right hemisphere adapted to take over this function.

Question 8

AO3 - strength

Answer 8

Researchers found evidence of brain plasticity in 60 year olds after they were taught a new skill - juggling. They found increases in the visual cortex, although when practising stopped, these changes reversed.

Question 9

AO3 - strength

Answer 9

Researchers compared a control group with a video game training group that was trained for 2 months for at least 30 minutes per day on the game Super Mario.
They found a significant increase in various brain areas including the cortex, hippocampus and cerebellum. This increase was not evident in the control group.
The researchers concluded that video game training had resulted in new synaptic connections in brain areas that are involved in spatial navigation, strategic planning and working memory and motor performance - skills that were important in playing the game successfully.