plasticity A03

Question 1

negative plasticity lim

Answer 1

-brains ability to adapt to damage isn’t always beneficial due to neg behavioural consequences
-evidence = brains adaptation to prolonged drug use leads to poorer cog functioning in later life/risk of dementia
-60 to 80% of amputees suffer from phantom limb syndrome

Question 2

what is phantom limb syndrome?

Answer 2

amputees suffer from this = sensations as if limb is still there which unpleasant + painful and due to cortical reorganisation in somatosensory cortex

Question 3

strength of structural plasticity

Answer 3

Strength as shows neural plasticity (structural) can continue through lifespan + not limited to young
bezzola et al found 40 hpurs of golf training produced chnges in nerual represenation of movement in participants aged 40-60
Found motor cortex activity was reduced for golfers compared to control group
Suggesting more efficient neural representation after training

Question 4

Strength of plasticity

Answer 4

Kemperman et al investigated wheather an enriched environment could alter no of neurons in brain
Found increase dnerurons in brain of rats in complexed environments compared to those in lab cages
Increase was in hippocampus (part associated with formation of new memes)
New learning can lead to new neural connections supporting the idea of structural plasticity

Question 5

Real life app - strength

Answer 5

Pulvermuller et al - stroke patients who had acute aphasia increased practise in areas of language impairment + restricted use of alternative communication e.g drawings/gestures
They showed sig improvement in affected lang skills compared to patients not given cit (contrastraint induced therapy)