Plasticity and Funcitonal Recovery of the Brain after Trauma

Question 1

Why can brain be considered plastic

Answer 1

has ability to change throughout our life

Question 2

during infancy what does the brain experience

Answer 2

rapid growth in number of synaptic connections it has

Question 3

what is the peak of synaptic connections the brain has and at what age

Answer 3

15,000 synaptic connections per neurons

2-3

Question 4

15,000 synaptic connections per neuron is 2x that in the

Answer 4

adult brain

Question 5

what is synaptic prunning

Answer 5

when as we age rarely used connectins deleted

frequently used connections strengthend

Question 6

people once thorught the adult brain wasn’t

Answer 6

capable of change

Question 7

even though people thought adult brain wasn’t capable of change what do we understand now

Answer 7

synaptic pruning enables lifeliong plasticity

Question 8

what is plasticity

Answer 8

brain’s tendency to change& adapt as result of experience &new learning

generally involves growth of new connections

Question 9

What did Maguire et al study in 2000

Answer 9

brains of london taxi drivers

Question 10

What did Maguire et al find

Answer 10

significantly more vol of grey matter

in posterior hippocampus than in matched control group

Question 11

hippocampus associated with

Answer 11

development of

spacial and navigational skills

in humans and other animals

Question 12

as part of training to be a taxi driver hacve to take complex test called

Answer 12

the knowledge

Question 13

the knowledge assesses

Answer 13

recall of city streets and possible routes

Question 14

what did maguire et al find about ‘The Knowledge’

Answer 14

learnignn xp alters structure of drivers brain

Question 15

what adduitional info did maguire et al find about ‘The Knowledge’

Answer 15

longer the taxi drivers had been in teh job

the more pronounced the structural difference waas

(positive correlation)

Question 16

who else had a similar finding of research into plasticity

Answer 16

draganski

Question 17

what did draganski do

Answer 17

imaged brain of med students before and after final exams

Question 18

what did draganski find with teh med students

Answer 18

learning induced changes were seen to have occured in posteriror hippocampi and parietal cortex presumambly due tot eh learning

Question 19

Functional Recovery - following physical injury or other form os trauma like a stroke what are unnaffectesd parts of teh brain able to do

Answer 19

adapt and compensate for damaged areas

Question 20

Functional Recovery - what is an example of neural plasticity

Answer 20

functinoal recovery that may occur int eh brain after trauma

Question 21

Functional Recovery - healthy brain areas may take over

Answer 21

functions of those areas that are damaged, destroyed or even missing

Question 22

Functional Recovery - what do neural scientists suggest about functinoal recovery

Answer 22

occurs quickly after truama (Spontaneous recovery)

then slow down after several weeks/months

Question 23

Functional Recovery - after FR has slowed down a patient may require

Answer 23

rehabilitative therapy to further their recovery

Question 24

Functional Recovery - What happens in brain during recovery - how is brain able to rewire and organise itself q

Answer 24

by froming new synaptic cconnections close to area of damage

Question 25

Functional Recovery - What happens in brain during recovery - how is brain able to rewire and reorganise itself

Answer 25

by froming new synaptic connectinos close to area of damage

like avoiding riadworks on way to school by findign diff route

Question 26

Functional Recovery - What happens in brain during recovery - what happens to secondary neural pathways

Answer 26

2ndary neural pathways that wouldnt typically be used to cary out certain functinos are activated to enable functioning to continue in same way before

Question 27

Functional Recovery - What happens in brain during recovery - process of brain recovering is upported by

Answer 27

number of structural changes in rbian including

axonal sprouting

denervation supersensitivity

recruitment of homologous areas on oppostie side of brain

Question 28

Functional Recovery - What happens in brain during recovery - axonal sprouting is

Answer 28

growth of new nerve endings that connect otehr undamaged nerve cells to form new neuronal pathwyas

Question 29

Functional Recovery - What happens in brain during recovery - when does denervation supersensitivity occur

Answer 29

when axons that do similar jobs become aroused to a higher level to compensate for the ones that have been lost as result of injury or other truama

Question 30

Functional Recovery - What happens in brain during recovery - however denervation supersensitivity can have negative consequences of

Answer 30

oversensititvity to messages such as pain

Question 31

Functional Recovery - What happens in brain during recovery - of recruiting homologous areas on opposite sides of brain means

Answer 31

specific tasks can still be performed

Question 32

Functional Recovery - What happens in brain during recovery - give eg of recruitment of homologous areas on opp side of the brain

Answer 32

if brocas area was damaged on left side of brain

right side equivalent would carry out its funtions

Question 33

Functional Recovery - What happens in brain during recovery - what happens after a while during recruitment of homologous areas on opp sides of brian

Answer 33

functionality may shift back to the original side

in brocas area e.g back to teh left side

Question 34

STRENGTH - Practical Applications - Point for both

understandin processes involved in x and xx has practical applications in field of x

following x or x to brain, x recovery tends to slow down after #of weeks

due to this, a form of x therapy may be needed to miantian x in x

techniques may include x therapy adn x stimulatgion of brain to x deficxits in x and or x functioning that may be xp in a stroke for e.g

although this shows the brain x needs help to fix itself x and x it also shows that the x has been used to improve x for people who have x trauma to theri x thereby increasing hteir chances of a x x x

Answer 34

understandin processes involved in plasticity and functional recovery has practical applicaitons in field of neurorehabilitation

following illness or injury to brain spontaneous recovery tends to slow down after #of weeks

due to this form of physical therapy may be needed to miantian imporvements in functioning

techniques may include movement therapy adn leccy stimulatgion of brain to counter deficxits in morotr and or cognitivr functioning that may be xp in a stroke for e.g

although this shows the brain sometimes needs help to fix itself completley and succesfully it aslos shows that the research has been used to improve treatment for people who have sufferd trauma to theri brain thereby increasing hteir chances of a disbility free recovery

Question 35

LIMITATION - COUNTERPOINT TO MAGUIRE/SUPPROTING RESEARCH - issue debate

some psychs suggest research investigating plastiticty of brain is x
e.g M’s research is biologically x and only examines a x biological factor (hippocampus x) in relation to x memory

this approach is x and fails to take into account all of diff bio/x processes involved in x navigation which can x our x

therfore althoughh x shows brian can x in resonse to fx exposure in a particular x

some psychs suggest that a x approach to understanding x human behaviour may be more x

Answer 35

some psychs suggest research investigating plastiticty of brain is ltd

e.g M’s research is biologically reductinist and only examines a single biological factor (hippocampus sixze ) in relation to spatial memory

this approach is ltd and fails to take into account all of diff bio/cog processes involved in spatiial navigation which can limit our understanding

therfore althoughh M shows brian canc hange in resonse to frequent exposure in a particular task

some psychs suggest that a holisitc approach to understanding complex human behaviour may be more appropriate

Question 36

limiation - negative plasticity

a limitatino of plasticity is that it may have negative x consequences

evidence has shown the brain’s adaptation to prolonged x use leads to poorer x funcitonig in later life as well as an x risk of x

also x-x% of amputees have been known to develop x x syndrome

these sensations are x and x and thought to be due to cortical x in the x cortex that occurs as a reuslt of x loss

this suggest teh brains x to adapt to damage is not always x

Answer 36

a limitatino of plasticity is that it may have negative bhavioural consequences

evidence has shown the brain’s adaptation to prolonged drug use leads to poorer cognitive funcitonig in later life as well as an increased risk of dementia

also 60-80% of amputees have been known to develop phantom limb syndrome

these sensations are unpleasnsat and pianful and thought to be due to cortical reorganisation in the somatosensory cortex that occurs as a reuslt of limb loss

this suggest teh brains ability to adapt to damage is not always beneficial

Question 37

limitation of functional recovery

level of educaino may x recovery x

x et al revealed the x time people with a brain injury had spent in x - taken as an x of their cognitive x - the x their chances of a disabilty free recovery

x% of those with a DFR had more than xyrs of education compared with x% of those who had less than x years of educaiton

this would imply people with brian x who have insufficient xxx are x liekly to achieve a full x

Answer 37

level of educaino may influnce recovery rates

schneider et al revealed the more time people with a brain injury had spent in education - taken as an indicatin of their cognitive reserve - the greater their chances of a disabilty free recovery

40% of those with a DFR had more than 16yrs of education compared with 10% of those who had less than 12 years of educaiton

this would imply people with brian damadge who have insufficient DFR are less liekly to achieve afull recovery

Question 38

strength - evidence - functinoal recovery
There is x to support the claim for functional recovery.
x et al. (2013) found that x cells provided to rats after brain x showed a clear x of x-like cells in the area of injury.
This demonstrates the x of the brain to create new x using neurons x by stem cells.

Answer 38

There is research to support the claim for functional recovery.
Taijiri et al. (2013) found that stem cells provided to rats after brain trauma showed a clear development of neuron-like cells in the area of injury.
This demonstrates the ability of the brain to create new connections using neurons manufactured by stem cells.